Representation at Diocesan Convention
BE IT RESOLVED that this 166
th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri approve an amendment to Article III.3, Section 6 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri by deleting the first three sentences thereof and substituting therefor the following text:Every canonically organized Mission of the Diocese and Parish in union with Convention of this Diocese shall be entitled to be represented in Convention by a minimum of two Lay Delegates. Each Parish and Mission shall be allowed one additional Lay Delegate for every seventy-five persons in Average Sunday Attendance at such Parish or Mission as reported on its annual Parochial Report for the immediately preceding calendar year. Such Parochial Report shall be prepared on the then current form provided by the Secretary of Convention and Average Sunday Attendance shall be calculated in the manner prescribed by such Parochial Report form.
Correcting Amendment to Article III.3, Section 9
BE IT RESOLVED that this 166th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri approve an amendment to Article III.3, Section 9 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri which shall amend said Section 9 in its entirety to read as follows:
"Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6 above, every Lay Delegate shall have seat, voice and vote in Convention."
Payment of Assessments and Congregational Representations at Convention
BE IT RESOLVED that this 166th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri approve an amendment to Article III.3 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri to as follows:
1. Identify the first four two sentences of Section 6, as amended by Resolution L -166, as subsection "a".
2. Delete the remainder of Section 6 and substitute therefor the following two new subsections "b" and "c" as follows:
2. Subject to the limitations set forth below, every Lay Delegate shall have seat, voice, and vote in Convention. The Lay Delegates from a Congregation shall have no vote until the Secretary shall have been presented with satisfactory evidence as to the amount of assessments that the Lay Delegates’ Congregation has paid during the preceding fiscal year for support of the Diocese and for the Church Pension Fund. In the event a Congregation shall not have paid the full amount of such assessments for the previous year, the number of Lay Delegates from such Congregation entitled to vote in Convention shall be reduced in direct proportion to the percentage deficiency in such Congregation’s payment of its assessment obligations. The number of Lay Delegates with vote in Convention from such Congregation shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number, with a minimum of one Lay Delegate with vote in Convention for each Parish and canonically organized Mission.
3. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Diocesan Council may recommend to the Convention that all of the Lay Delegates of a Parish or canonically organized Mission have vote, without regard to the limitations set forth in subsection b. above. The Diocesan Council’s recommendation shall be subject to approval by a simple majority vote of the Convention.
3. Delete Section 9 in its entirety and renumber Sections 10 through 13 as numbers 9 through 12.
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The following resolutions were passed by the 167th Convention
Clergy Compensation
Submitted on behalf of the Diocesan Council
1 BE IT RESOLVED that this 167th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri set the annual standard base compensation for full-time clergy in 2007 as follows:
CASH SALARY $35,810
HOUSING ALLOWANCE $12,900.
[The actual compensation should be determined by Resolution of the Vestry/Bishop’s Committee, in consultation with the clergy.]
And be it further
2 RESOLVED, that the Church Pension Fund assessment will be paid by the congregation; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, that $50,000 group life will be paid by the congregation; and be it further
4 RESOLVED, that medical coverage for clergy and eligible dependents, will be paid by the congregation; and be it further
5 RESOLVED, that a standard of ten days per calendar year and $500 will be provided for continuing education; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, that the standard auto allowance will be $2,000 per year; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, that all parishes and missions encourage their full-time clergy to set aside two days each week for personal time.
RATIONALE
1. 2006 cash salary was $34,700 and housing allowance was $12,500 for a package total of $47,200. The recommendation for 2007 reflects a 3.2 percent increase in both Cash Salary and Housing. This increase was based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index - Midwest urban Consumers first half of 2005 comparison to the first half of 2006.
2. The Canons of the Episcopal Church mandate that pension assessments be paid by congregations (assessment = 18 percent of cash salary plus housing and utilities allowance).
3. Provides for $50,000 of term life insurance for active clergy. (In addition, all active clergy are eligible to receive an additional $50,000 term life insurance benefit from the Church Pension Fund.)
4. A list of medical plans can be obtained from the Office of the Bishop.
5. Congregations are encouraged to provide both time and financial resources to assist clergy with continuing education opportunities.
6. Standard allowance for auto expense as determined by the Internal Revenue Service.
7. Congregations are urged to encourage their clergy to take two days for personal time.
Effective January 1, 2004, the short-term disability benefit, previously obtained through Income Replacement Insurance, became a new benefit for clergy who are actively participating in the Clergy Pension Plan and whose pension assessments are paid to-date.
This resolution establishes a standard base compensation for clergy. Congregations are urged and invited to compensate clergy beyond the standard. It is understood that under individual circumstances and conditions internal adjustments in the compensation package may be negotiated.
Teaching of Intelligent Design in Public Schools
Submitted by Margaret Hvatum, Holy Communion, University City
1 BE IT RESOLVED that this 167th
Convention of the Diocese of Missouri strongly affirms
our belief in the Creator God, but nevertheless also strongly recommends that if
"intelligent design" is taught in Missouri, it should be taught in a
religious context and in a religious setting, and it should not be mandated
as an official part of the public school science curriculum in the state of
Missouri. And be it further
2 RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be forwarded to our Governor and our General Assembly.
RATIONALE
Since "intelligent design" is a religious doctrine, debate should be focused on whether or not the doctrine must be taught in public schools rather than on the validity of the doctrine itself. The intent of this resolution is to resist the introduction of religion into the science curriculum of our public schools and to maintain the separation of church and state.
Youth Ministries Initiative
Submitted by the Vestry of St. Barnabas’, Florissant
1 BE IT RESOLVED that this 167th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri express its commitment to youth ministry; and be it further
2 RESOLVED that this 167th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri encourage the Diocesan Youth Commission and the Diocesan Council to work together to establish in the 2008 diocesan budget a "youth ministries initiative" line item of up to $100,000 and be it further
3 RESOLVED that the Diocesan Youth Commission or a special youth
ministries initiative task force appointed for this purpose develop criteria
for and to award grants from this line item to help congregations who meet
the criteria to employ dynamic and dedicated youth ministers
or otherwise facilitate youth ministries.
RATIONALE
As membership of the Episcopal Church ages, the need for youth ministry couldn’t be more critical. Recent studies have shown that the Episcopal Church is not retaining a high percentage of young people raised in the church. We need to counter this trend by making a more intense effort to give our youth a Christian-Episcopal identity. This needs to be done at the congregational level. Most medium to small sized parishes cannot afford a paid youth minister and must depend on volunteer adults who have many other demands on their time. The ability to hire a youth minister has several advantages, not the least of which is that the is not one of the parents of the members of the group. The grant criteria might include the size of the congregation, the number of youth and the ability to match the requested grant amount.
This youth ministry initiative is intended to build on the success of the one-week Camp Phoenix experience now being offered to youth in the Diocese of Missouri.
Recovery Sunday
BE IT RESOLVED that this 167th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri ask
the congregations of the Diocese to observe the first Sunday in Lent each
year (or the nearest Sunday that the congregation’s calendar allows) as
Recovery Sunday to recognize the prevalence of addiction and to support
awareness and treatment, and continued recovery for addicts and their
families.
RATIONALE
Episcopal Recovery Ministries is
dedicated to helping Episcopalians and Evangelical Lutheran Church of
America (ELCA) members suffering from addictions into recovery. The
Committee is a group of clergy and lay volunteers appointed by the Bishop.
Each of these people has had personal experience with addiction and recovery
and is an active member of the Episcopal or ELCA Church.
The mission of this committee is to provide recovery resources through the
Episcopal and ELCA Churches to people and their families suffering from
addiction, through education seminars, articles, and a website.
The observance of a Recovery Sunday will help us spread the good news of recovery for addicts and their families throughout the Diocese of Missouri. An annual observance will keep the problems associated with addiction and the need for education, prevention, intervention, and recovery in the attention of the Diocese in years to come.
To facilitate this annual observance, Episcopal Recovery Ministries will
make available information that could be used for bulletin inserts, prayers
and/or forms of the Prayers of the People, and other resources appropriate
to such an occasion.
Amendments to the Diocesan Canons Concerning Diocesan Council Members
BE IT RESOLVED that this 167th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri amend the Canons of the Diocese of Missouri to wit:
A. Section 5 of Canon III.6 is hereby amended by adding a new sentence at the end of the first sentence thereof which shall read as follows: “The Bishop Coadjutor (if any) shall serve as a member of the Diocesan Council with seat, voice and vote.”
B. Section 6 of Canon III.6 is hereby amended in its entirety to read as
follows: “The voting members of Diocesan Council shall consist of elected
and appointed members. The elected membership of Diocesan Council, for the
period ending with the 168th annual meeting of Convention, shall consist of
four (4) at-large Lay members elected by Convention and three (3) at-large
Clergy members elected by Convention and one (1) Lay and one (1) Clergy
member elected by each Convocation. Thereafter, the elected membership of
Diocesan Council shall consist of three (3) at-large Lay members and three
(3) at-large Clergy members, each elected by Convention, and one (1) Lay and
one (1) Clergy member elected by each Convocation. The appointed members
shall consist of one (1) Lay and one (1) Clergy member, subject to
ratification by the elected members.”
C. Section 7 of Canon III.6 is hereby amended in its entirety to read as
follows: “Members of Diocesan Council elected by Convention shall serve a
three-year term except as set forth in this Section. Three at-large Clergy
members shall be elected by the 167th annual meeting of
Convention, one of whom will serve a three-year term, one a two-year term
and one a one-year term. Commencing with the 168th annual
meeting of Convention, one Lay and one Clergy member of Diocesan Council
shall be elected at each annual meeting of Convention; provided,
however, that the 169th annual meeting of Convention shall
elect an additional Lay member of Diocesan Council who shall serve a
one-year term. In case of any vacancy, Diocesan Council shall appoint a
successor of the same class to serve out the vacating member’s unexpired
term.”
D. Section 11 of Canon III.6 is hereby amended by adding two new sentences at the end thereof which shall read as follows: “Each duly convened meeting of Diocesan Council at which a quorum is present shall be deemed to constitute a meeting of the Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Any action taken by Diocesan Council at such a meeting with respect to the property or assets of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri shall be deemed to be the action of the Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.”
E. Canon III.7 is hereby amended by deleting the name “The Program Budget” and substituting therefor “The Operating Budget.”
F. Section 1 of Canon III.9 is hereby amended by deleting the first sentence thereof in its entirety and substituting therefor the following: “The members of the Diocesan Council, including the Bishop and the Bishop Coadjutor (if any), shall serve as the Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri (“COEDMO”), a Missouri non-profit corporation.”
G. Section 6 of Canon IV.9 is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows: “In granting any approval and consent required by this Canon, the Bishop and Standing Committee shall be deemed to have acted on behalf of the Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, under authority delegated by the Diocesan Council.”
RATIONALE
The Standing Committee and Diocesan Council have proposed certain modifications to the structure of the Diocese of Missouri and the manner in which it manages and administers its real and personal property assets. As you know, essentially all of the assets of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri are titled in the name of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri and the Standing Committee functions as the Board of Directors of COEDMO. In a joint meeting of the Standing Committee and Diocesan Council earlier this year and in subsequent discussions, the Standing Committee and Diocesan Council have proposed that Diocesan Council succeed to the Standing Committee’s role as the Board of Directors of COEDMO.
The logic underlying this change is in part based upon the idea that the entity responsible for the development and administration of the budget of the Diocese should also have control over and the fiduciary responsibility relative to the assets of the Diocese. The amendments set forth below are designed to effect that change and to adjust the membership of Diocesan Council so as to provide for a balance of clergy and lay membership comparable to that of the Standing Committee. As a result of the current imbalance of clergy and lay membership of Diocesan Council, the Canonical Amendments provide for a period of transition in the election process and the terms of the new members. As of the 170th meeting of Convention, however, the membership will be at a stable point such that each Convention will elect one clergy and one lay member each for a term of three years on Diocesan Council.
Amendment A below provides that in the event the Diocese should have a Bishop Coadjutor, the Bishop Coadjutor would have seat, voice and vote at meetings of Diocesan Council. The existing Canon is silent on that point. The Bishop Coadjutor serves as a trustee of COEDMO, so it is appropriate to add the Bishop Coadjutor to Diocesan Council in light of the proposed shift of COEDMO responsibilities from Standing Committee to COEDMO.
Amendments B and C below establish the new elected membership structure of Diocesan Council and provide for a balance of Lay and Clergy membership.
Amendments D and F provide for the shift of COEDMO responsibilities from Standing Committee to Diocesan Council and confirm that meetings of Diocesan Council constitute meetings of the Trustees of COEDMO so as to facilitate administration of meetings of the two organizations.
Amendment E simply renames the Diocesan budget to be approved by Convention as the “Operating Budget” in order to reflect the comprehensiveness of the budget as it is now presented to Convention. Such budget will include previously excluded items such as the Thompson Fund and other restricted funds.
The Constitution and Canons Committee supports the Diocesan Council and Standing Committee in respect of these amendments.
The following resolution was introduced from the floor and passed by Convention
Clarifying the Use of Making All Things New Monies
No rationale was submitted
L-166 Representation at Diocesan Convention
M-166 Correcting Amendment to Article III.3, Section 9
N-166 Payment of Assessments and Congregational Representations at Convention
B-167 Teaching of Intelligent Design in Public Schools
C-167 Youth Ministries Initiative
E-167 Amendments to Diocesan Canons Concerning Diocesan Council Members
F-167 Clarifying the Use of Making All Things New Monies