Update from 2021 Convention of the Diocese of Virginia

From Tom Tyler

Dear Christ Church,

In our shared faith I offer a summary of the 227th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. On November 12th and 13th, more than 390 lay and clerical delegates gathered online for the Convention. Delegates from Christ Church included Reverend Shirley Smith-Graham, Kay Holmes, Kathy Duckworth and Tom Tyler. Garway Bright was also present in his role as President of the Diocesan Executive Board and Ken Royston was present as a member of the Executive Board.

In her opening pastoral address, Bishop Susan Goff described some of the ways in which the churches of the Diocese have gone deeper, wider and made their ministries stronger in 2021, despite the ongoing pandemic. She noted that some congregations are reaching more people through virtual worship and that two new worship spaces were consecrated this year. In December, the Bishops will have ordained 26 priests and seven deacons since the pandemic began. The Diocese also called our first Missioner for Racial Justice and Healing, the Rev. Dr. J. Lee Hill, Jr.

Thirteen resolutions were discussed and adopted during the convention. The most notable resolutions are summarized below. All resolutions can be accessed by clicking the following link: 2021 Resolutions.

Resolution 1 establishes a Virginia Plan for Covenantal Giving through which all congregations will pledge 10% of their plate offerings, pledge payments and regular support to the shared ministries of the Diocese by the year 2025.

Resolution 4a establishes an Impact Fund for Racial Justice and Healing. This investment fund will be used to prioritize opportunities within the Diocese to support racial justice and healing.

Resolution 6 calls on the Diocese to commit to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Resolution 9a requests the appointment of an information gathering and discernment team to explore pathways for discernment and formation in Spanish for LatinX/Hispanic communities of the Diocese.

Resolution 10a commits the Diocese to create a $10 million fund for reparations to benefit Black, Indigenous, and peoples of color communities. The resolution directs the Bishop to create a Reparations Task Force “to identify and propose means by which repair may begin for those areas of our structures, patterns, and common life by which Black, Indigenous, People of Color within the original bounds of our diocese still carry the burden of theological, social, cultural, economic, and legal injustices, exclusions, and biases born out of white supremacy and the legacy of slavery."

Resolution 11 calls for the creation of additional Assistant Bishop.

Additionally, several Amendments to the Constitution and Canons were approved during the convention. The Amendments can be found here: 2021 Amendments.

The Rev. Dr. Rosemari Sullivan, Search Committee Chair, provided an update on the search process for the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia. The Search Committee will screen applicants in January and February, and host a retreat in March with a final group of applicants.

All who attended the Convention graciously committed their time in prayerful consideration of all agenda items an now look forward to continuing the work that we are called to do.

Blessings,

Tom Tyler