The 180th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Vermont will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, on Friday, November 2, and Saturday, November 3, 2012. The Convention theme is “What About Jesus?”
This year’s special guest will be The Right Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, XI Bishop of North Carolina. Bishop Curry will lead a workshop on preaching during Friday’s morning session, a forum during Friday’s afternoon session and will preach on Saturday morning.
More on Bishop Curry’s workshop and forum is here.
The offering at the Eucharist on Saturday, November 3, has been designated for Episcopal Relief & Development’s response to Hurricane Sandy. Please be generous, as Episcopal Relief & Development has been with Vermonters in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. For those not attending Convention, donations may be made directly to Episcopal Relief & Development through their website.
Diocesan Council will make a report with recommendations to Convention in response to the June 2011 Special Convention that addressed the potential for a capital campaign. Download the document.
The Convention was, as in previous years, preceded by a series of identical Saturday Ministry Fairs that included workshops focused on the Convention theme, Eucharist, a diocesan ministry presentation, and an information session on convention resolutions, the proposed budget and nominees for elective offices. Find more information here.
Register and pay online here, or download a Registration Form and pay by mail.
The deadline for registrations is October 19.
Convention Youth Conference
4pm Friday, November 2nd to 3:30pm Saturday, November 3rd
Bishop Booth Conference Center
Join with youth (grades 6-12) from around the Diocese of Vermont for a fun-filled weekend as we explore the Diocesan Convention theme “What about Jesus.” The weekend will include workshops, convention Eucharist, forum with Bishop Curry, prayer, singing, and fellowship with youth from around the Diocese. The Fee is $70. Some scholarship funding may be available. Please register by October 22.
For more information please contact Sarah Urang or (802)349-8866. Download a registration form and a permission and release form.
Information on proposed resolutions, including the proposed Rules of Order, is here.
Information on candidates for elective offices is here.
Links to information on the Proposed 2013 Budget are here (Narrative Budget, line item budget, and other documents)
Schedule
Friday, November 2
9:00am – 3:30pm — Registration (Undercroft)
10:00am – 12Noon — Preaching Workshop – Bishop Curry (Nave)
12Noon – 1:00pm — Deacons’ Lunch (Nursery)
12:15pm – 1:45pm — Choir Rehearsal (Nave)
1:00pm – 1:45pm — Convention 101 (Common Room)
2:00pm – 3:15pm — Hearings: Canons, Resolutions & Budget (Common Room)
3:30pm – 5:00pm — Forum: Bishop Curry (Nave)
5:15pm – 6:15pm — Taizé Worship (Nave)
6:00pm – 7:00pm — Social time, Hilton Hotel (Montpelier Room)
6:00pm – 7:00pm — Friends of Bill Meeting, Hilton (Burlington Room)
7:00pm – Dinner in the Adirondack Room at the Hilton
Saturday, November 3
8:00am – 10:00am — Registration (Undercroft)
8:30am – 10:00am — Eucharist (Nave)
10:00am – Convention Convenes with Bishop Ely’s Address
12:30pm – 1:00pm — Lunch, Time Approximate
1:00pm – Convention Reconvenes
3:30pm – Convention Adjourns, Time Approximate
Special note regarding the Friday Taize Evening Prayer Service: As a special observance of the day, “All Faithful Departed”, representatives from each Parish are asked to bring a snapshot or other small photographs of persons in their congregation who have died in the past year. The photos will be gathered onto special ‘Panels of remembrance’ and placed near the icon of Christ in Majesty during the Taize Service. If photos are unavailable, space to write the name of those persons will also be provided.
Convention Display Area: The display area at Convention is in the parish hall downstairs, where registration and hospitality also occur. Anyone interested in having a display is asked to complete the Display Space Request Form and email it to Sarah Gallagher at the Cathedral or mail it to 2 Cherry St., Burlington, VT 05401. We try to accommodate all requests, but space is limited and consists of one-half of an 8’ table. Please submit all requests prior to October 22, 2012. If you reserve a space and decide not to use it, please let Sarah know.
Pre-Convention Journal: The Pre-Convention Journal (download pdf) contains reports from Diocesan Committees, Commissions and Institutions. These reports detail the activities of our Diocesan ministries. Please read them. Delegates will be asked to receive these reports at Convention and, if you vote acceptance, they will become part of the 2012 Convention Minutes.
Meals: Registration forms for Friday’s dinner will be posted here and emailed to delegates. There is a charge of $39.95 for dinner. Saturday lunch is provided at The Cathedral at no charge.
Parking is available at conveniently located city parking garages. Due to hotel construction on Cherry Street across from the Cathedral, Cherry Street is currently one-way (east, from Battery Street). Access to the parking garage on Friday is available through the Marriott Hotel entrance only; the main Cherry Street entrance will be open on Saturday. We encourage use of the parking garage to leave the limited space in the cathedral lot available for delegates with mobility issues. Car-pooling is strongly encouraged. We appreciate your cooperation, patience and courtesy!
Lodging: We have made arrangements for a special rate at three locations for those wishing to overnight on Friday, November 2.
Bishop Booth Conference Center
20 Rock Point Circle Burlington, VT 05408
Call 802-658-6233 – Steven Antell, Director
$35 per person sharing twin, plus $7 for breakfast
University Inn
5 Dorset Street at Inter-State 89 Exit 14E, South Burlington
Call 802-863-5541.
$45 per night single, double, or triple plus tax. Continental Breakfast included in rate.
University Inn and Comfort Inn share the same check-in desk facilities
Comfort Inn
5 Dorset Street at Inter-State 89 Exit 14E, South Burlington
Call 800-808-4656 or 802-264-4114
$80 per night single or double plus tax. Continental Breakfast included in rate. Comfort Inn and University Inn share the same check-in desk facilities
Hilton Hotel
60 Battery Street, Burlington
Call 800-HILTONS
Rate $109 per night single or double plus tax
Breakfast is not included in rate
The Hilton Hotel is closest hotel to Cathedral. It is a full service hotel.
These rates are locally negotiated and if you call the hotel’s national reservations number they may not have information on our group or rate. Always identify yourself as attending Episcopal Diocesan Convention to access these rates. Run into a problem booking the negotiated rate? Contact Jim Larkin, 802-878-8047, or diocesanconvention@dioceseofvermont.org