The 2023 Annual Convention of the Diocese of Vermont took place in three parts:
- The Pre-Convention Hearing was held on Thursday, November 2 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Watch a recording of the online pre-convention hearing on YouTube.
- The in-person portion of diocesan convention took place Saturday, November 4 at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington. Bishop Shannon presided and preached at Eucharist. The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, founding director of TryTank, returned to convention this year to continue the discussion that began at his plenary session in 2022. Attendees had the opportunity to develop and share new ideas for ministry to take home to their congregations. Slides from the Rev. Lebrija’s presentation are available for download. Download the slides, the bulletin and watch a recording on YouTube.
- The business session of Diocesan Convention, including the bishop’s address, took place on Zoom on Thursday, November 9 at 6 p.m. Watch a recording on YouTube.
- Watch Bishop Shannon’s convention sermon
“Baptized for Abundance” Devotional Booklet
Baptized for Abundance: An In-Depth Daily Devotional is a resource from the Center for Lifelong Learning and TryTank at Virginia Theological Seminary created especially for the Diocese of Vermont in preparation for convention. It includes questions and prayers from Vermont clergy, as well as illustrations by Bishop Shannon. The devotional is intended to be used for 15 days before our in-person convention on November 4 and for 15 days afterward. Clergy and delegates to convention should receive a copy in the mail soon, and are invited to begin using it on October 20. Congregations may order more copies online.
Resolutions
The following resolutions were passed by the convention:
- 1. Revise Canons to Amend Certain 2022 Canon Amendments, as amended.
- 2. Adoption of the FY2024 Integrated Budget for the Diocese of Vermont
- 3. Establishing Recommendations on Cost of Living Increase and Employee Health Insurance Premiums
- 4. Establishing Minimum Clergy Compensation for 2024
- 5. Working for Equity, Support, and Protection of All LGBTQIA+ Anglicans, as amended.
- 6. Appealing to Vermont Elected Officials to End Gun Violence
- 7. Promoting Pesticide Reduction
- 8. Supporting the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion
Nominations
The following nominees were elected:
- Brookhaven Learning and Treatment Center Trustees: Judith Castonguay, Sally Garmon, Luke Krueger, Teresa Voorhees
- Commission on Finance: The Rev. Melanie Combs, Rebecca Boucher
- General Convention Alternate Deputies (clergy): The Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, the Rev. Canon Walter Brownridge, the Rev. Amy Spagna, the Rev. Jennie Anderson
- General Convention Alternate Deputies (lay): Lisa Leopold
- Provincial Synod Deputy: Nanci Gordon
- Rock Point Commons Board of Directors: Elizabeth Ferries
- Rock Point School Board of Trustees: Monica Brady-Myerov, Sayeed Hammond, Robin Lloyd-Miller, Mo Reilly, Lorrie Smith
- Standing Committee (clergy): The Rev. Rachel Field
- Standing Committee (lay): Nanci Gordon (4-year term), Judith Rogers (2-year term), Catherine Merrihew (1-year term)
- Trustees of the Diocese: The Rev. David Fredrickson, David Bullock, Lindsey Huddle, Noma Anderson (term expiring in 2025)
Courtesy Resolutions
The 2023 Courtesy resolutions recognize and honor:
- The Philadelphia 11
- The Memory of the Rev. Jane N. Garrett
- Bishop Shannon MacVean-Brown’s Convention Sermon and Address
- The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings and her Mission Leadership Report
- The Rev. Walter Brownridge
- The “Divine Abundance & Inquiry: A Faithful Path” Planning Team
- The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija
- The Rev. Kathleen Moore
- Those Affected by July 2023 Flooding in Vermont
- The 50th Anniversary of the Consecration of the “New” Cathedral Church of St. Paul Building
- Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for His Call to “Stop the killing.”
Download the courtesy resolutions.
