Written by Caela Collins feat. the Hispanic Ministry Network

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Without saying where you live, what you have, who you know , or what you do… Who Are You?

That question stumped you, didn’t it? Don’t worry; I’m pretty sure that’s a boat we can all collectively float in. When I first came across that question, it snatched away each and every safety blanket, leaving me exposed to fend for my identity in a way that required me to place my core under a spiritual microscope. It’s ironic, but the truth is, it’s easy to introduce ourselves through external things: job titles, favorite hobbies, who our close friends are, what town we live in, ect. But when those aspects are off the table, defining yourself, truly and internally, isn’t as easy. In order for other people to know who you are, you must do an internal inventory of the secret ingredients that make you, you and I can tell you, tracking down something as elusive as your core essence is courageous. To clarify: I’m not saying that the external things you connect with shouldn’t be important to you; anything that’s within your personal solar system holds value and is a great indicator of your orientation. I’m just painting a bigger picture, like René Magritte in La Clairvoyance, 1936.

The benefit of knowing the answer to the question above isn’t for yourself; it’s for the greater collective. When you know who you are at your core, you can establish the essence of your ministry and emit the very energy that represents your heart. That energy is what you want to contribute to the world as a means to aid all beings and free them from suffering. There’s beauty in knowing yourself because it is the very thing that helps build community beyond the surface, which is a journey one of our ministry networks has bravely embarked on.

With that said, let me re-introduce you to ECCT’s Hispanic Ministry Network:

An Open Letter:

From the Hispanic Ministry Network to the Diocese,

Our challenges are many, but we try to do God’s work with what we have. Our gifts are of love for one another, and our goal is to share that love with the larger community. Many of our parishioners speak monolingual Spanish. There are members who are monolingual in Spanish, some who are bilingual in Spanish and English, and some who are predominately English speakers. Some of the parishes are involved with a food pantry to assist those in need in the community. Many of our parishioners are working-class people who try to make ends meet to have food and shelter. Some work long hours to try to achieve this. The language barrier is overcome whenever diocesan events have translators from English to Spanish and when communications in social and electronic media are provided in Spanish. It opens the doors for the community and allows them to participate.

There are many cities and towns in Connecticut where there can be an Episcopal presence within the Latino community, which is a major opportunity for growth. The church has always been the number one source of social enjoyment for most families. It is usually the foundation that we get as children from our first educational lessons, beginning with learning our prayers. It’s where we are taught to have hope for medical and psychological healing and refuge. Religion encompasses every facet of our lives, as found in art and philosophy. The church plays a vital role in every community.

As the needs of the community transition, our hope is that the church can meet these new challenges. We are seeking potential leaders in our community to come and work with us and tap those who may want to discern in lay leadership and Holy orders, especially in the diaconate. There is currently one Latino deacon, one Latina transitional deacon, and five Latino priests: one Haitian Spanish speaker and two White Spanish serving in the eight parishes, ministering to the Latino community.

Amidst the challenges before us, we do try to find time for celebration for all God has given us through our various cultures in music, dances, costumes, singing, and, of course, food. Our music is rhythmic through our Spanish, Indigenous, and African influences. Our food speaks of an open invitation to the table, with all its cultural variety. Our costumes reflect our music: bright, colorful, and fun.

Ways to Engage with the Community: In order to engage the Community, we must engage in the resident’s lives.  We must invest in the Latino Community with tangible actions by implementing and offering…

• Food Drives in front of Local Grocery Stores
• Online Educational workshops via Zoom
• Engage in Community Issues: homelessness, domestic violence, health care, ect.
• Open Dialogue in safe spaces beyond Sunday for mass
• Sharing Resources
• Translation Services

We formally invite you to connect with your local communities and visit our community with questions, volunteers, and ministry. We are eager to connect with the wider ECCT collective and want to exchange ideas and resources. This letter is not only an opportunity for you to get to know us, but an invitation for us to connect on a deeper level as we continue to participate in God’s mission!

Primary contact for Ministry Network	The Rev. Dcn. Felix Rivera
E-mail	felix5312003@yahoo.com

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Cultural Identity

There is no one Latin America, or Latino or Latin American culture. We often hear the terms Hispanic and Latino used interchangeably; however, each term holds a distinct cultural nuance.

• Hispanic: refers to individuals who speak Spanish as their first language. Typically, are from Spain or a country that has been colonized by the Spanish.
• Latino/a/x: refers to individuals with Latin American roots/heritage. This term can be applies to those who speak a Latin based language such as Spanish, Portugese, and French. Typically, live in territories such as America, Haiti, and Brazil.

The heritage of Latin America blends indigenous, European, African, and Asian peoples, languages, and cultural traditions. Therefore, it is possible for those within this community to be considered White, Creole, Black, or Indigenous based on their unique ancestral lineage in which terms like Afro-Latino stem from.

What About Connecticut?

• The Latino/Hispanic community in Connecticut makes up about 17% of the population.
  • A multi-cultural and multi-race community with origins primarily from Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
• Racial Makeup:
  • White (60%)
  • Black (15%)
  • Indigenous (5%)
  • Mixed also known as Creoles or Criollo (pronounced cree-oyo) between White, Black and Indigenous) (20%)
• The largest concentration of Latinos (greater than 30%) are found in the following cities/towns of Connecticut:
  • Willimantic (47%)
  • Hartford (46%)
  • New Britain (43%)
  • Bridgeport (42%)
  • Byram (39%)
  • Waterbury (37%)
  • East Hartford (37%)
  • Poquonock Bridge (36%)
  • Meriden (36%)
  • New London (34%)
  • New Haven (30%)

Find Parishes

• Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford
• Church of Good Shepherd, Hartford
• Trinity, Lime Rock
• All Saints, Meriden
• Saint John’s, Waterbury
• Saint Luke & Saint Paul, Bridgeport
• Saint John’s, Bridgeport
• Betania, Stamford

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Sin decir dónde vives, qué tienes, a quién conoces, o qué haces… ¿Quién eres?

Esa pregunta te dejó perplejo, ¿no? No te preocupes; Estoy bastante seguro de que es un barco en el que todos podemos flotar colectivamente. Cuando me encontré con esa pregunta por primera vez, me arrebató todas y cada una de las mantas de seguridad, dejándome expuesta a defender mi identidad de una manera que me obligó a poner mi núcleo bajo un microscopio espiritual. Es irónico, pero la verdad es que es fácil presentarnos a través de cosas externas: puestos de trabajo, pasatiempos favoritos, quiénes son nuestros amigos cercanos, en qué ciudad vivimos, etc. Pero cuando esos aspectos están fuera de la mesa, definirse a sí mismo, verdadera e internamente, no es tan fácil. Para que otras personas sepan quién eres, debes hacer un inventario interno de los ingredientes secretos que te hacen, tú y yo puedo decirte, rastrear algo tan difícil de alcanzar como tu esencia central es valiente. Para aclarar: no estoy diciendo que las cosas externas con las que te conectas no deban ser importantes para ti; cualquier cosa que esté dentro de tu sistema solar personal tiene valor y es un gran indicador de tu orientación. Simplemente estoy pintando un cuadro más amplio, como René Magritte en La Clairvoyance, 1936.

El beneficio de saber la respuesta a la pregunta anterior no es para tí; es para la comunidad. Cuando sabes quién eres en tu esencia, puedes establecer la esencia de tu ministerio y emitir la misma energía que representa tu corazón. Esa energía es la que quieres aportar al mundo como medio para ayudar a todos los seres y liberarlos del sufrimiento. Es hermoso conocerse a uno mismo porque es precisamente lo que ayuda a construir una comunidad más allá de la superficie, que es un viaje en el que una de nuestras redes ministeriales se ha embarcado con valentía.

Dicho esto, permítanme volver a presentarles la Red de Ministerio Hispano de ECCT:

Una Carta a la Comunidad:

Nuestros desafíos son muchos, pero tratamos de hacer la obra de Dios con lo que tenemos. Nuestros dones son de amor mutuo y nuestro objetivo es compartir ese amor con la comunidad en general. Muchos de nuestros feligreses hablan solamente español. Hay miembros que son monolingües en español, algunos que son bilingües en español e inglés y algunos que son predominantemente angloparlantes. Algunas de las parroquias participan con una despensa de alimentos para ayudar a los necesitados de la comunidad. Muchos de nuestros feligreses son personas de clase trabajadora que intentan llegar a fin de mes teniendo comida y alojamiento. Algunos trabajan muchas horas para intentar lograrlo. La barrera del idioma se supera cuando los eventos diocesanos cuentan con traductores del inglés al español y cuando las comunicaciones en los medios sociales y electrónicos se brindan en español. Abre las puertas a la comunidad y les permite participar.

Hay muchas ciudades y pueblos en Connecticut donde puede haber una presencia episcopal dentro de la comunidad latina, lo cual es una gran oportunidad de crecimiento. La iglesia siempre ha sido la fuente número uno de disfrute social para la mayoría de las familias. Generalmente es la base que obtenemos como niños desde nuestras primeras lecciones educativas, comenzando por aprender nuestras oraciones. Es donde se nos enseña a tener esperanza de curación y refugio médico y psicológico. La religión abarca todas las facetas de nuestras vidas, como se encuentra en el arte y la filosofía. La iglesia juega un papel vital en cada comunidad.

A medida que las necesidades de la comunidad cambian, nuestra esperanza es que la iglesia pueda enfrentar estos nuevos desafíos. Estamos buscando líderes potenciales en nuestra comunidad para que vengan a trabajar con nosotros y reconozcan a aquellos que quieran discernir en el liderazgo laico y las órdenes sagradas, especialmente en el diaconado. Actualmente hay un diácono latino, un diácono de transición latino y cinco sacerdotes latinos: un sacerdote haitiano hispanohablante y dos sacerdotes blancos que hablan español que sirven en las ocho parroquias, ministrando a la comunidad latina.

En medio de los desafíos que tenemos por delante, tratamos de encontrar tiempo para celebrar todo lo que Dios nos ha dado a través de nuestras diversas culturas en música, bailes, disfraces, cantos y, por supuesto, comida. Nuestra música es rítmica a través de nuestras influencias españolas, indígenas y africanas. Nuestra comida habla de una invitación abierta a la mesa, con toda su variedad cultural. Nuestros disfraces reflejan nuestra música: brillante, colorida y divertida.

Formas de interactuar con la comunidad: para involucrar a la comunidad, debemos envolvernos en la vida de los residentes. Debemos invertir en la Comunidad Latina con acciones tangibles implementando y ofreciendo…

• Colectas de alimentos frente a las tiendas de comestibles locales

• Talleres educativos en línea vía Zoom

• Participar en cuestiones comunitarias: personas sin hogar, violencia doméstica, atención  médica, etc.

• Diálogo Abierto en espacios seguros más allá del domingo para la misa

• Compartir recursos

•Servicios de traducción

Lo invitamos formalmente a conectarse con sus comunidades locales y visitar nuestra comunidad con preguntas, voluntarios y ministerio. Tenemos ansiedad de conectarnos con la comunidad ECCT más ampliamente y queremos intercambiar ideas y recursos. ¡Esta carta no es solo una oportunidad para que usted nos conozca, sino también una invitación para que nos conectemos a un nivel más profundo mientras continuamos participando en la misión de Dios!

Contacto principal de la Red Ministerial	Rev. Dcn. Félix Rivera
Correo electrónico	felix5312003@yahoo.com

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Identidad cultural

No existe una sola América Latina, ni una cultura latina o latinoamericana. A menudo escuchamos que los términos hispano y latino se usan indistintamente; sin embargo, cada término tiene un matiz cultural distinto.

• Hispano: se refiere a personas que hablan español como su primer idioma. Por lo general, son de España o de un país que ha sido colonizado por los españoles.

• Latino/a/x: se refiere a personas con raíces/herencia latinoamericana. Este término se puede aplicar a quienes hablan un idioma de base latina, como el español. Habitualmente viven en territorios como Sudamérica, Centroamérica y el Caribe.

La herencia de América Latina combina pueblos, lenguas y tradiciones culturales indígenas, europeas, africanas y asiáticas. Por lo tanto, es posible que aquellos dentro de esta comunidad sean considerados blancos, criollos, negros o indígenas en función de su linaje ancestral único del que provienen términos como afrolatino.

¿Qué pasa en Connecticut?

• La comunidad latina/hispana en Connecticut constituye aproximadamente el 18% de la población.
  • Una comunidad multicultural y multirracial con orígenes principalmente de Centroamérica, Sudamérica y el Caribe.

• Composición racial:
  • Blanco (63%)
  • Negro o afroamericano (12%)
  • Indígena, nativo de Alaska (1%)
  • Asiático (3%)
  • Mixto también conocido como criollo o criollo (pronunciado cree-oyo) entre blancos, negros e indígenas) (3%)
  • Hispano/Latino (18%)
• La mayor concentración de latinos (más del 30%) se encuentra en las siguientes ciudades/pueblos de Connecticut:
  • Willimantic (47%)
  • Hartford (46%)
  • New Britain (43%)
  • Bridgeport (42%)
  • Byram (39%)
  • Waterbury (37%)
  • East Hartford (37%)
  • Poquonock Bridge (36%)
  • Meriden (36%)
  • New London (34%)
  • New Haven (30%)

Buscar parroquias

• Catedral de la Iglesia de Cristo, Hartford
• Iglesia del Buen Pastor, Hartford
• Trinidad, roca de lima
• Todos los Santos, Meriden
• San Juan, Waterbury
• San Lucas y San Pablo, Bridgeport
• San Juan, Bridgeport
• Betania, Stamford

Written, Filmed, and Interviewed by Caela Collins

“What’s your idea of a perfect day?” I quietly scanned the question, tracing the black font typed on a small strip of white paper that was neatly unfolded & laced between my fingers. The weight of this question was disproportionate to the thin sliver of paper it was printed on; so light that even a feather could outweigh it. Yet, there I was, calculating the formula for my perfect day that could fit in the span of 24 hours.

What do I like to do? What makes me happy… like really happy? What does “perfect” even look like? That heavy question on the thin piece of paper, gentle in its gaze, seemed to beam up at me, wide-eyed like an inquisitive child, eagerly waiting for my answer. With a few deep breaths, all the superficial things that once clouded my head, dissipated and the things that brought true joy to my soul shined bright like the sun.

So what did my perfect day look like?

Well, it was the ease of waking up to the absence of an alarm clock, a long hug from a loved one, putting my playlist on shuffle and every song being as good as the last, no skips required. It was getting a random compliment, not the kind of compliment that strokes an ego, but the kind of compliment that makes your inner light feel seen & appreciated. It was getting an extra donut free of charge at the drive-thru, meeting a kind stranger, finding the $20 bill you forgot about, deeply tucked into your wallet that your mom advised you to do in case of emergencies. Then it hit me, mom. It’s her, my dad, brother, grandmother, and every family member by blood or chosen that pours love into me.

At first, a perfect day was an accumulation of small simple moments that warmed my heart and grounded me in gratitude. However, the more granulated it became, I realized that it always led to sharing moments with the ones I loved most.

The above sentiment reigned true for the Karimi’s, a refugee family of seven, whom tightly held onto the notion that family was the most important remedy for turning even the most imperfect of days into something perfect.

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We all know the Nativity story but as we explore diversified sacred images in our upcoming Annual Convention, we’re able to identify & reframe that story for what it truly is: a refugee story. Mary with child (Jesus) and Joseph were forced to flee, escaping persecution, from their homeland, a place that held everything they knew, but much like the Karimi’s, not everything they loved.

The Holy Family is still among us currently, in the faces of the refugee, the migrant, the immigrant, the poor and the oppressed. Many individuals are often in need of more clothing, blankets, food and better shelter; and much like the stable, Holy Advent, Clinton, opened their hearts and doors to a family seeking refuge.

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The Karimi Family’s Journey, like tens of thousands of Afghans, began with the urgency to flee out of fear of persecution and escape from the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group whom took over Afghanistan in August 2021 after waging a twenty-year insurgency. For families like the Karimi’s, The Taliban targeted those who worked for the original government structure. After being badly beaten and hospitalized, the patriarch of the Karimi family, Mohammad Karimi, decided to find refuge, leaving the only home he has known.

The family escaped to Brazil, managing to live in a church basement for 3-4 months, then trekked to Tijuana, crossed into California, only to be arrested and placed in a ‘camp’ there. Unlike many refugees, the Karimi family was blessed to have contacts within the states, Saba and Mahdj, who opened their home to the Karimis. Without acquaintances who have gone before them and offered aid, there is a likely chance that the family would still be in that camp today.

Fast forward to December 2022, the Sunday before Christmas, the Karimi family attended a church service at Holy Advent, Clinton. From that point on their lives were forever changed:

Want to Help?

• Help Financially: Checks can be written to Holy Advent Church, with ‘Refugee/ Asylum Seekers’ clearly written in the memo line.  All funds received will go directly to the Karimi Family.
• Employment Opportunities (must be in Clinton or Remote): Please contact jrwagner04@gmail.com or maryetwagner@gmail.com

Resolution passed by the 234^th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut

Resolution #7: Recognition and Affirmation of the Inherent Dignity & Worth of Transgender (Binary and Non-Binary) and Gender Non-Conforming People as Beloved Children of God (Amended)

Resolved, that all transgender people (binary and non-binary) and anyone whose gender identity and expression differ from the sex they were assigned at birth, are beloved children of God and share the same inherent dignity and worth as all members of the human family and should be afforded the same rights as other human beings; and be it further

Resolved, that the Episcopal Church in Connecticut opposes any attempt to legislate or make any public policy that defines sex and/or gender on the basis of physical appearance of external genitalia present at birth or presence of certain chromosomes within a person’s DNA; and be it further

Resolved, that the Episcopal Church in Connecticut support educational, pastoral, liturgical, and legislative efforts that seek to end systemic violence and discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people, calling special attention to violence against transgender women of color; and be it further

Resolved, that the Secretary of Convention convey this resolution to the Office of Government Relations of The Episcopal Church and to appropriate state and federal legislative bodies.

WHEREAS: The first known African recorded in the Connecticut Colony, Louis Berbice, was brought to Hartford by his master, Commissary Gysbert Opdyck from Dutch Guiana in 1638; and
WHEREAS, Connecticut blocked the importation of enslaved people in 1774, via the passage in the state legislature of the “Act for Prohibiting the Importation of Indian, Negro or Molatto Slaves”¹; and
WHEREAS, Connecticut began a gradual emancipation of enslaved people in 1784, through the passage by the state legislature of the “Gradual Abolition Act” of that year, through which all enslaved people born after March 1, 1784, would become free upon attaining the age of 25 for men and 21 for women, (though it did not free the parents, or any other adult enslaved people)²; and
WHEREAS, in 1844, Connecticut Governor Roger Sherman Baldwin proposed legislation to abolish slavery, but the proposal was opposed by the Connecticut Legislature³; and
WHEREAS, in 1848, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed “An Act to Prevent Slavery,” effectively abolishing slavery in Connecticut; and
WHEREAS, Connecticut’s last enslaved person, Nancy Toney of Windsor, died in 1857, marking the end of an era of more than two hundred years of slavery in Connecticut⁴; and
WHEREAS, the people of the State of Connecticut, ECCT, and the parishes of ECCT all benefitted economically (directly and indirectly) from the institution of chattel slavery practiced within Connecticut and throughout the nation during the 200-year period from 1638 to 1848; and
WHEREAS, the value of the economic benefits derived by the Church from chattel slavery has appreciated substantially from 1638 to the present, increasing more than 45 fold ($1 in 1638 is equivalent to $45 in 2023)⁵; and
WHEREAS, THE 236TH Convention of ECCT acknowledged “that social and racial justice are core values rooted in the Gospel and central to furthering God’s mission in and through the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and that God calls us to acknowledge, confront, and dismantle racism, white supremacy and anti-Black bias in our nation and in ECCT.”

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[1] McManus, Edgar J. (2001). Black Bondage in the North. Syracuse: University Press. p. 6. ISBN 0-8156-2893-5.

[2] Hoadly, Charles J. (1850). The public records of the Colony of Connecticut. Vol. 14. Hartford: Brown & Parsons. p. 329and Ed Stannard (June 19, 2020). “Slavery in Connecticut, ended only in 1848, had a long history”. The Middletown Press.

[3] Harris, Katherine J. (2014). “Colonization and Abolition in Connecticut”. In Normen, Elizabeth J.; Harris, Katherine J.; Close, Stacey K.; Mitchell, Wm. Frank; White, Olivia (eds.). African American Connecticut Explored. Wesleyan University Press. p. 67.

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Inflation Calculator.” U.S. Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 13 Sep. 2023, https://www.officialdata.org/.

CANON XVI – BISHOP TRANSITION PROCESS

Section 1.        Committee on the Election of a Bishop

            A)        Composition

i.          The Committee on the Election of a Bishop shall be composed of six members: three (3) members of the laity, and three (3) members of the Clergy.

ii.         Members of the Committee shall serve terms of three (3) years. Each member may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms. The terms of the members of the Committee shall be staggered.

iii.        Nominations of self or others for election to the Committee may be made by any communicants of the Diocese or groups associated therewith by submitting the nominee’s name and contact information to the Secretary of Convention no later than four (4) weeks before the Annual Convention.

iv.        The Annual Convention shall elect one (1) member of the laity and one (1) member of the Clergy to serve on the Committee annually and shall elect such other members as necessary to maintain a total of six (6) members with staggered terms. When the process for electing a bishop is commenced, elections to the Committee shall be suspended until the first Annual Convention after the consecration of the new bishop. At the first Annual Convention after the consecration of the new bishop, new Committee members will be elected to replace those Committee members whose terms have expired.

v.         The Secretary of Convention and an additional individual designated by the Bishops shall serve as non-voting members of the Committee to provide administrative and procedural support to Committee members and to liaise between the Committee and ECCT staff, the Standing Committee, and the Mission Council. The Secretary of Convention and the Bishops’ designee shall not be members of the Nominating Committee or the Transition Committee but will assist those committees if and as requested by the Committee members.

vi.        The two members of the Committee who have served longest on the Committee and are willing and able to serve shall serve as co-chairs of the Committee unless unable or unwilling to serve in that capacity.

vii.       Vacancies in the Committee shall be filled until the next election of Committee members by Annual Convention by appointment by the Bishops with advice and consent of the Standing Committee.

            B)        Role of the Committee Between Episcopal Elections

i.          Study best practices, recommendations, and developments in the processes for episcopal elections and transitions across the Church and make recommendations to the Annual Convention for the revisions of our election processes.

ii.         Assist the Mission Council in understanding the costs associated with episcopal elections and the monies that should be set aside in an election sinking fund in each Budget of Convention.

iii.        Develop and maintain the following:

1. Description of job requirements and expectations for members of the Nominating Committee and members of the Transition Committee;
   1. In consultation with transition guidelines published by The Episcopal Church, develop timeline of events and processes that make up the nominating and transition processes;
   1.    Seek advice and recommendations from prior nominating and transition committees about the process.

iv.        Report to the Standing Committee and the Mission Council annually or more frequently as requested or appropriate regarding the Committee’s work.

            C)        Role of the Committee When an Election is Called

i.          Develop and publicize timeline for nomination and election of the bishop, and for the selection process for committee members from the Regions and the nomination by Standing Committee for election by Mission Council.

ii.         Promote opportunities to serve on the Nominating Committee and the Transition Committee, reaching out to under-represented communities to enhance diversity of candidate pools both for the Regions and the Standing Committee.

iii.        Assist Regions in enhancing the diversity of those selected to serve on the Nominating Committee and the Transition Committee.

iv.        Vet consultants for the nominating process, so as to be ready to offer consultants to the Nominating Committee.

v.         Advise Finance Committee and Mission Counsel in their work developing an interim budget for the episcopal election process.

            D)        Role of the Committee During the Nomination and Transition Process

i.          Serve as co-chairs of Nominating Committee and Transition Committee. When an episcopal election is called, the Committee shall organize itself into 3 sets of co-chairs: one set of co-chairs for the Nominating Committee; one set of co-chairs for the Transition Committee; and one set of co-chairs with overall supervisory responsibility of both committees.

ii.         Schedule and lead meetings of the Nominating Committee and Transition Committee, and joint meetings as appropriate.

iii.        Facilitate the Nominating Committee’s selection of a consultant.

iv.        Liaise with ECCT staff, departing bishop, remaining bishop(s), Finance Committee, Chancellor.

v.         Oversee public statements regarding the episcopal nomination, election, and transition process.

vi.        Assist the Mission Council, and its Finance Committee, in developing the allocation for the election process in the next full Budget of Convention, as well as addressing unexpected financial issues that arise during the episcopal nomination, election, and transition process.

Section 2.        When a vacancy in the office of Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Suffragan exists or is anticipated, a notice to the Diocese and to the office of the Presiding Bishop shall be issued by the the President of the Standing Committee and the Bishop Diocesan or, in the absence of the Bishop Diocesan, the Bishop Suffragan. The notice shall:

A)        Announce that a vacancy in the office of Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Suffragan exists or is anticipated;

B)        Request that the steps required by the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and of ECCT for an episcopal election be undertaken;

C)        Call for a Special Convention for an episcopal election or for an episcopal election at a future Annual Convention, upon completion of the steps required by the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and of ECCT for an episcopal election;

D)        Call for the formation of a Nominating Committee and a Transition Committee and setting dates for their selection and/or election as set out by these Canons.

Section 3.        The Nominating Committee shall consist of eighteen (18) members who are Adult Communicants in good standing or Members of the Clergy in good standing canonically resident in the Diocese, selected as follows:

A)        Six (6) members selected by the Regions, with each Region selecting either one (1) lay person who is a member of a Parish, Worshiping Community, or Intentional Episcopal Community in the Region or one (1) clergy person living or working in the Region; the person selected by each Region shall be from a different order than the person selected by that Region to serve on the Transition Committee under Section 4(A) (i.e. if the Region selected a lay person to serve on the Transition Committee, then that Region shall select a clergy person to serve on the Nominating Committee, and vice-versa);

B)        Twelve (12) members selected by the Mission Council from a slate of at least sixteen (16) lay or clergy persons nominated by the Standing Committee, giving priority to members of Diocesan Ministry Networks; the resulting group of 12 shall include at least four lay persons and at least four clergy persons.

Section 4.        The Transition Committee shall consist of twelve (12) members who are Adult Communicants in good standing or Members of the Clergy in good standing canonically resident in the Diocese, selected as follows:

A)        Six (6) members selected by the Regions, with each Region selecting either one (1) lay person who is a member of a Parish, Worshiping Community, or Intentional Episcopal Community in the Region or one (1) clergy person living or working in the Region; the person selected by each Region shall be from a different order than the person selected by that Region to serve on the Nominating Committee under Section 3(A) (i.e. if the Region selected a lay person to serve on the Transition Committee, then that Region shall select a clergy person to serve on the Nominating Committee, and vice-versa)

B)        Six (6) members selected by the Mission Council from a slate of at least eight (8) lay or clergy persons nominated by the Standing Committee, giving priority to members of Diocesan Ministry Networks; the resulting group of 6 members shall include at least two lay persons and at least two clergy persons.

Section 5.        The Nominating Committee and the Transition Committee shall be formed at the same time by the date established in the notice issued in Section 2 above. Although most of the work of the Transition Committee will occur after the work of the Nominating Committee has been completed, the Transition Committee shall participate in joint meetings with the Nomination Committee as the Co-Chairs deem necessary and appropriate. The Transition Committee may include non-members in its work.

Section 6.        The Co-Chairs may ask the Standing Committee to nominate one or more new members to serve on the Nominating Committee or the Transition Committee as may be necessary and appropriate to replace committee members who are unable or unwilling to serve, which nominations shall be subject to ratification by the Mission Council.

Section 7.        The Mission Council shall propose an interim budget for costs associated with the episcopal transition process until the next Budget of Convention is adopted by the Annual Convention, which shall be ratified by the Standing Committee (“Episcopal Election Budget”).

Section 8.        The Nominating Committee shall:

A)        Adopt such rules and procedures for its respective operation as it deems prudent;

B)        Organize itself into such subcommittees as it may believe necessary and appropriate;

C)        Engage such consultants, chaplains, or professionals to assist it in its work as it feels essential;

D)        Follow the call of the Holy Spirit in:

1. Creating a profile of the Diocese;
   1. Identifying suitable candidates, including conducting complete and comprehensive background checks;
   1. Providing particular support and encouragement to minority candidates;
   1. Affording the Bishop Diocesan the opportunity to interview candidates for Bishop Suffragan and consulting with the Bishop Diocesan before selecting nominees from among the candidates for Bishop Suffragan;
   1. Choosing nominees (“Committee Nominees”) from among the candidates;
   1. Facilitating opportunities for the Diocese to learn about and to meet the Committee Nominees and any Petition Nominees (as described below), and for all of those nominees to learn about and to meet members of the Diocese;

E)        Take full advantage of existing administrative and professional resources of the Diocese, including accounts payable, legal counsel, communications, human resources, and other capacities existing within the Diocese, to avoid unnecessary expense in the transition process and to complete its work within the Episcopal Election Budget.

Section 8.        The Transition Committee shall:

A)        Adopt such rules and procedures for its respective operation as it deems prudent;

B)        Organize itself into such subcommittees as it may believe necessary and appropriate;

C)        Engage such consultants, chaplains, or professionals to assist it in its work as it feels essential;

D)        Follow the call of the Holy Spirit in:

1. Providing emotional and spiritual support to the current bishop or bishops, the candidates, the Committee Nominees, the Petition Nominees, if any, the Bishop-Elect, their respective families, and Diocesan staff;
2. Assisting with the consecration or installation of the Bishop-Elect; and
3. Assisting with the transition between bishops.

E)        Take full advantage of existing administrative and professional resources of the Diocese, including accounts payable, legal counsel, communications, human resources, and other capacities existing within the Diocese, to avoid unnecessary expense in the transition process and to complete its work within the Episcopal Election Budget.

Section 9.        When ready, the Nominating Committee shall announce the Committee Nominees to the public in a manner reasonably calculated to inform both the Diocese and The Episcopal Church of their identities. When the Nominating Committee issues this notice, it shall also provide the notice to the Secretary of the Diocese.

Section 10.      After the Nominating Committee notifies the Secretary of the Diocese of the identities of the Committee Nominees, additional candidates (“Petition Candidates”) may be proposed by petition as follows:

A)        A Petition Candidate must be proposed in writing, using a form made available by the BTC, signed by not less than ten (10) clergy delegates to the next Annual Convention resident in at least four (4) different Regions, and by not less than ten (10) lay delegates to the next Annual Convention resident in at least four (4) different Regions;

B)        No delegate may propose more than one Petition Candidate;

C)        Each proposal of a Petition Candidate shall include a written consent to the proposal signed by the Candidate;

D)        Proposals of Petition Candidates will be accepted by the Secretary of the Diocese for a period of ten (10) calendar days after the Nominating Committee notifies the Secretary of the Diocese of the identities of the Committee Nominees;

E)        The Nominating Committee shall conduct the same background checks of each Petition Candidate as it conducted of the Committee Nominees;

F)         If the Nominating Committee concludes that one or more of the Petition Candidates satisfies the canonical requirements for election and satisfied the background checks applied to all Committee Nominees, the Nominating Committee shall inform the Secretary of the Diocese that those Petition Candidates are “Petition Nominees.”

Section 11.      At the conclusion of the period for submission of Petition Candidates, if no proposals of Petition Candidates have been submitted to the Secretary of the Diocese, or at the conclusion of the screening process required with respect to each Petition Candidate, and in all cases in a time sufficient to allow for the orderly introduction of Committee Nominees and any Petition Nominees to the Diocese, the Nominating Committee shall submit the Committee Nominees and the Petition Nominees, if any, to the Secretary of Convention as the final slate of nominees for election.

Section 12.      The Election Convention shall proceed in accordance with rules of order adopted at the Convention, provided:

A)        The Ecclesiastical Authority or its delegate shall preside over the Convention;

B)        Nominations for election to the office of bishop may not be made from the floor;

C)        Nominations for election may be withdrawn only by the nominee;

D)        Nominations speeches will not be in permitted.

Section 13.      Role of the Standing Committee and the Mission Council in the Episcopal Nomination, Election, and Transition Process.

            A)        The role of the Standing Committee shall be to:

i.          Issue the notice to the Diocese and the Presiding Bishop as set forth in this Canon;

ii.         Nominate candidates for election to the Nominating Committee and the Transition Committee by the Mission Council as set forth in this Canon;

iii.        Nominate replacement members for either the Nominating Committee or the Transition Committee as requested by the Co-Chairs of the Committee on the Election of a Bishop;

iv.        Ratify the interim Episcopal Election Budget;

v.         Issue such notices as required by the Canons of The Episcopal Church.

            B)        The role of the Mission Council shall be to:

i.          Elect members of the Nominating Committee and the Transition Committee from candidates nominated by the Standing Committee;

ii.         Ratify the appointment of replacement members for either committee as nominated by the Standing Committee per the request of the Co-Chairs of the Committee on the Election of a Bishop;

iii.        Develop and propose an interim Episcopal Election Budget for consideration by the Standing Committee.