The 184th Convention of
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
​
Lay Delegate Report to the Vestry
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
Saint Louis, MO
November 7, 2023
 
Conference Project Theme
Background
“I love to tell the story; ‘twill be my theme in glory to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.”
                                                       Arabella Katherine Hankey (b. 1834)
·         Arabella Katherine Hankey (1834-1911)
·         born in Clapham, England
·         daughter of a wealthy London banker
·         Hankey and her father belonged to an evangelical group comprised of prominent evangelicals from the Clapham area
·         the group opposed slavery and the slave trade and had a great influence in abolishing both in England
·         they worked for social reform for the working class and fairness for all
(from Christianity.com)
Take away: Our Episcopal Diocese Convention’s overarching theme is instructive, as Hankey’s words reflect on the original church’s basic mission to go out and meet others with the love of Jesus.
“I love to tell the story,
   Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.”
“I love to tell the story
    Because I know ‘tis true.
 It satisfies my longings
  As nothing else can do.”

  Katherine Hankey
Day 1 Proceedings

Plenary Session I

• Call to Order
• Convention Officer Appointments and Reports
• Adoption of Rules of Order
• Adoption of Order of Business
• Welcome from Convention Host
• Recognition of the 184th Convention Committees
• Clergy Transitions
• Election of Trustee for University of the South
• Nominations Committee Report: Candidates

(see page 4)

• Diocesan Council Report
• (link to pdf on pg. 5)

 
Diocesan Renewal Reports: (link to pdf on pg. 5)

• Faith Christian Church of India
• Grace African Christians Connection
• The Journey
• Deaconess Anne House
• Gathering Space Task Force
  • Presentation of 2024 Diocesan Budget (see link on page 5)
• Resolutions Committee: First Report
• Announcements and Close of Session I

Plenary Session II

• Call to Order
• Diocesan Advocacy Reports: (see page 5 for end-of-year convocations, missions, and ministries reports)
  • Gun Violence Prevention
  • Public Advocacy
• LGBTQIA+ Engagement
• Creation Care Ministry
• Resolutions Committee: Second Report
• Announcements & Close of Plenary Session II

 
The 2023 Convention Holy Eucharist Service https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unchyFTRHT8

Day 2
Bios: https://www.diocesemo.org/blog/convention-2023-nominees-for-election/
Here are the positions elected at the 184th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri in 2023:

• Cathedral Chapter
  Electing 1 lay member (from inside St. Louis City/County) and 1 clergy member (from outside St. Louis City/County) for 3-year terms
  Cathedral Chapter is similar to the Vestry of a parish, but because the Cathedral is the Bishop’s seat and the “mother church” for the Diocese, its leadership is made up of clergy and lay members from throughout the Diocese as well as its own congregation.
• Diocesan Council
  Electing 2 lay members for 3-year terms
  The Diocesan Council does the work of the Diocesan Convention when Convention is not in session, including development of the program budget; oversight of the programs and offices funded by the budget; and oversight and interpretation of diocesan policies. Members of this committee also serve as members of COEDMO, the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri (meets approximately every other month).
• Disciplinary Board
  Electing 1 clergy member and 2 lay member for 3-year terms
  The Disciplinary Board exists to help in cases where clergy have been presented with charges under the Ecclesiastical Disciplinary Canons (Title IV) of the Canons of The Episcopal Church (meets once a year and as needed).
• Standing Committee
  Electing 2 clergy member and 1 lay members for 4-year terms
  The Standing Committee functions as the council of advice to the Bishop. It is a visioning group for the diocese; certifies candidates for ordination in the diocese; votes on consent to the election, ordination, and consecration of bishops churchwide; and may serve as the ecclesiastical authority for the diocese in the absence of a bishop (meets monthly).

The Bishop read the election results and these will be made available soon.
Some conference feature links from FB.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/737443801550440
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3165909890377016
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3500509796944692
Diocesan 2024 Budget Report link
https://www.diocesemo.org/blog/2024-diocesan-operating-budget/
End-of-Year 2023 Ministry Reports
https://www.diocesemo.org/blog/convention-2023-ministry-reports/

What do you remember about being little? Do you remember how the ceilings seemed way way up high? Do you recall leaning up against an adult’s knee, or nestling against their body and feeling their largeness compared to you?
Sometimes it’s really helpful to remember we are small. Yeah, you might be six feet tall, but it’s likely you could push your body through three-foot-wide hole (ergo - not that big). Meditating on our puniness is not our natural proclivity. We like BIG! But our awareness of our true scale pulls us closer what’s real.
When Jesus became human, he went small. He entered the world in walking time. He engaged people in slow conversations. He performed miracles one by one.
Jesus models a small-scale spirituality that had huge impact. Awareness of my little place in the world is a solace. Jesus worked locally. Even God focused on the people, the places, the creatures, and comforts available at hand. So, then shouldn’t we?
As you move through your week, I encourage you to stay small. Your devices will invite you to pretend you can know it all, do it all, own it all. But you can’t. Your news feed will invite you to travel to every place of misery and hold every opinion. But your Divine Parent would much prefer that you stay right where you are and nestle in. Mundane as it is, the world around you is where you make the biggest difference. God is waiting for you to climb into the comfort of your smallness and the Divine bigness. May we together feel love, joy and peace in little spaces we occupy here and now. 


--Pastor Rebecca