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First Convention of the Diocese of Tennessee Memo

The 191st Convention of the Diocese of Tennessee to be held at:
St. David’s Episcopal Church
6501 Pennywell Drive
Nashville, TN  37205


Dear Fellow Episcopalians,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

This memo contains links and instructions for registering yourselves and delegates from your congregations for Convention, as well as other useful information. All the forms included in this mailing may also be found at edtn.org/convention/.

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who will take counsel in this convention for the renewal and mission of your Church.  Teach us in all things to see first your honor and glory.

Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 818)

Respectfully yours,
Kristine Blaess+
The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess
The Secretary of the Convention 

1. Before the December 9 deadline:

  • Elect Delegates (and an equal number of Alternates)[1]
  • Schedule your election by your November Vestry/Mission Council meeting.
    • Confirmed Communicants in Good Standing; at least 18 years of age
    • How many do we elect[2]…
      Missions with ASA less than 20 shall be entitled to one delegate.
      Missions with 20 to 49 ASA shall be entitled to two delegates
      Missions with 50 or more ASA shall be entitled to three delegates.
      Parishes with less than 50 ASA shall be entitled to two delegates.
      Parishes with 50 to 149 ASA shall be entitled to three delegates.
      Parishes with 150 to 299 ASA shall be entitled to four delegates.         
      Parishes with 300 to 499 ASA shall be entitled to five delegates.
      Parishes with 500 or more ASA shall be entitled to six delegates.
    • For the 191st Annual Convention on January 20 – 21, 2023 use your average Sunday attendance as reported on your 2019 Parochial Report. For the 192nd Annual Convention in January 2024 all congregations will be expected to use the average attendance from their most current Parochial Report.
  • Register your Delegates and Alternates[3] or register yourself – canonically resident non-parochial, and retired clergy
  • Register each delegate and alternate and submit the Certificate of Election before the deadline of December 9, 2022.
    • Register Online
    • All delegates and alternates may be registered together at one time online, and payment may be made by credit card or by sending a check to the diocesan offices by January 6. The Certificate of Election Form must be filled out online or downloaded, printed, completed, and then signed by the Rector, Vicar, Priest-in-Charge, or Senior Warden. The completed and signed form must be received by the diocesan office by the registration deadline of December 9 in order for the registration of delegates and alternates to be confirmed.
  • Nominate Someone / Stand for Election[4]
  • Who May Nominate: lay or clergy delegates, vestries, mission councils, missionary convocations, the Bishop and Council[5].
    • The deadline for nominations to be included in the Convention brochure is December 30, 2022. Late nominations may be received until noon on Thursday, January 19, 2023, but no later.
    • Nominees will introduce themselves to the Convention on Friday afternoon, January 20, 2023.
    • Summary of Elections
    • Nomination Form
  • Submit a Resolution[6] …here’s how to, if you wish
  • Who May: any lay or clergy delegate, vestry, mission council, missionary convocation, the Bishop and Council.
  • Who May Not: diocesan commissions and committees.  
  • When: 45 (forty-five) days before the first business day of Convention = December 6, 2022.  Please Note:  resolutions received by the Secretary after this date will require a majority vote of convention delegates to be placed on the floor.
  • How: Resolution Form (Available to submit online).
    If you wait to submit your resolution later than December 6, but no later than 1 ½ hours following the opening of the Convention, it will require a simple majority vote of delegates to be considered on the floor of Convention; If you wait to submit your resolution until later than 1 ½ hours after the opening of Convention, it will require a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the delegates to be considered on the floor of Convention;And if you are submitting a late resolution, prepare 300 copies on blue paper for distribution at Convention.

2. Before the January deadlines:

  • Register Seminarians and All Others
  • Although seminarians and others are not held to the same canonical deadlines as clergy, they may register themselves now using the links above. We ask that they register and pay no later than January 6, 2023. Please note that, in order to limit the number of people at convention, there will be no exhibitors or “outside guests.”

3.  What to look forward to January 20-21, 2023:

  • Lodging in Nashville:

Courtyard by Marriott Nashville, Green Hills (3800 Bedford Ave. Nashville, 37215; 615-298-7700)

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Nashville, Green Hills (2324 Crestmoor Rd.; 615-777-0001)

Hilton Nashville Green Hills (3801 Cleghorn Ave. Nashville, 37215; 615-297-9979)

  • Childcare will be available during the Convention at St. David’s. 
  • Reception
    • Friday, January 20, at St. David’s Church, 5:30pm.
    • THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL COST FOR THE RECEPTION! 
       
  • Parking for Convention
  • A map showing parking options will be in the pre-Convention Memo.
  • We will email all registrants after the December 9 deadline for RSVPs for childcare, Friday lunch, and the Friday evening reception.

[1] See Canon 1, Sec. 7(b), Canons of the Diocese of Tennessee

[2] See Canon 1, Sec. 7(a)

[3] See Canon 1, Sec. 7(c)

[4] See Rule of Order 6.1

[5] See Canon 1, Sec. 9

[6] See Canon 1, Sec. 9 and Rule of Order 3.02