Baltimore General Convention and Province-wide Efforts to
Support the Diocese of Maryland in Hosting That Convention
Whereas, the Diocese of Maryland has been selected to host the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church from Wednesday, June 30, 2021 until July 9, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland;
Now therefore, be it
Resolved, by the 2019 Synod of Province III of TEC, meeting in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on May 6, 2019, that we
- Heartily congratulate the Diocese of Maryland for the honor of hosting the General Convention in Baltimore and strongly commend the fine efforts made so far Maryland’s bishops, clergy and people to prepare for a successful, harmonious, spirited, and fruitful General Convention for The Episcopal Church (TEC) to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
- Recognize that it is vital for TEC to bring many younger clergy and lay leaders, particularly leaders of ethnic communities underrepresented in TEC, more fully into the life of the wider Church, and that the Baltimore Convention represents a critical opportunity for us to do so for the people in our Dioceses;
- Recognize further that most of our Dioceses will not have the opportunity to host General Convention over the next several decades, given the daunting logistical requirements of such a Convention, making this Convention a key event for all Dioceses within our Province;
- Request that by July 1, 2019, the Bishops of our other twelve dioceses each designate a person from their diocese to help recruit, assist and coordinate volunteers to help with General Convention, especially volunteers from among younger clergy and lay people, and ethnic communities, underrepresented in TEC;
- Request that by July 1, 2019, the Bishop of Maryland to designate a coordinator on his staff to work with coordinators in other dioceses;
- Urge that the designated coordinators, working under the leadership of the Maryland coordinator, identify the specific needs for Convention volunteers, undertake collective efforts to recruit them, them, and orient them about the wider church and the need for vital leadership from many new people;
- Request each Diocesan Convention (or Diocesan Council) to consider and enact appropriate resolutions and to allocate financial resources to promote and assist in the widespread recruitment of many able volunteers to help the Diocese of Maryland host an outstanding General Convention;
- Request that the Provincial Deputies and Provincial Council representatives from each Diocese report in writing 30 days before each of the 2020 and 2021 Provincial Synods and the 2019 and 2020 Provincial Councils on the progress made to implement this resolution, with information on the efforts made in their diocese, particularly the identity of designated Diocesan coordinators, the text of Diocesan resolutions passed, the steps taken to recruit, and assist volunteers for this Convention, particularly efforts to recruit younger clergy and lay leaders, and people from ethnic communities underrepresented in TEC.
Respectfully submitted,
Russell V. Randle