Convocations
The diocese is divided into 5 regional areas, called Convocations. These convocations are as follows: Abingdon, Augusta, Lynchburg, New River, and Roanoke. Each convocation has a Dean and President, and meets 3 times in preparation for Council. Clergy, delegates, and alternates are asked to attend these meetings; all interested parishioners are also encouraged to attend.
The Spring Convocation Meeting is intended to focus on reciving reports from ministries in the diocese, orientation for delegates and alternates to Council, and an opportunity for convocations to provide feedback on ministries.
The Fall Convocation Meeting (also called Fall Mission Days), is the time when elections and nominations for diocesan offices and representatives are held, the Bishop's Vision for the diocese is presented, and feedback is provided in preparation for planning the next year's budget.
In January, convocations meet to discuss and preview the proposed budget, proposed resolutions, proposed changes to the Constitution and Canons, and prepare delegates and alternates for Council.
Canons of the Dicoese
Sections relating to Convocations
CANON 24: OF CONVOCATIONS
Sec. 1 For the purpose of promoting greater unity in the diocese and the work of the church extension in its borders, the diocese adopts the system of convocations.
Sec. 2 The diocese shall be divided into convocations as follows:
(a) Augusta--Counties of Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Highland and Rock-bridge and the cities bounded thereby.
(b) Lynchburg--Counties of Amherst, Bedford, Campbell and Nelson and the cities bounded thereby.
(c) Roanoke--Counties of Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, Henry, Patrick and Roa-noke and the cities bounded thereby.
(d) Abingdon--Counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wise and the cities bounded thereby.
(e) New River--Counties of Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgom-ery, Pulaski and Wythe and the cities bounded thereby.
(f) The Bishop, acting with the advice and consent of the Standing Commit-tee, may change membership of a congregation with reference to convoca-tions, provided that a petition is received from the vestry of the particular congregation requesting such change.
Sec. 3:
(a) In each convocation there shall be a president, who shall then serve as a lay member of the executive board from that convocation. The term of of-fice of the president shall begin at the conclusion of the annual Council following his or her election at the fall meeting of the convocation and ex-tend three years. No person who has served as president for a full three-year term shall be eligible for reelection until the fall meeting next suc-ceeding the expiration of such full term. It shall be the duty of the presi-dent within the convocation to assist in the promotion of all the common tasks of the diocese, preside over convocation meetings and perform other such duties as may be assigned by the Bishop or the executive board.
(b) In each convocation there shall be a vice president, who shall be a clergy member and also serve as dean of the convocation. The term of office of the vice president/dean shall begin at the conclusion of the annual Council following his or her election at the fall meeting of the convocation and ex-tend to the conclusion of the next succeeding annual Council. No person who has served as vice president/dean of a convocation for three consecu-tive years shall be eligible for reelection until the fall meeting next suc-ceeding the expiration of this three year period. It shall be the duty of the vice president/dean within the convocation to provide general supervision of deacons not otherwise supervised, assist deacons and vacant congrega-tions in maintaining a regular schedule of communion services, promote missionary development and education under the direction of the Bishop, institute new clergy when requested by the Bishop, preside over convoca-tion meetings in the absence of the president and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Bishop or the executive board.
Sec. 4 In each convocation there shall be held at least three meetings in each year of the clergy and laity:
(a) A fall meeting shall be held between October 1 and November 15 at which the delegates and members of all congregations shall express their views on the needs and opportunities of the diocese for the coming year for the guidance of the executive board in preparing the proposed budget. At the fall meeting occurring in the calendar year following the year of the meet-ing of the General Convention, the convocation shall nominate to the Council one clerical deputy and alternate and one lay deputy and alternate for election to the General Convention and one person for diocesan United Thank Offering coordinator. This meeting shall also nominate candidates that shall stand for election at Council such as, but not limited to, members
of the Standing Committee, Ecclesiastical Trial Court, and Provincial Synod Deputies. Furthermore, this meeting shall elect, when appropriate, one clerical and one lay person to the executive board.
(b) A January meeting, at which the matters and resolutions to come before Council may be reviewed and explored.
(c) A spring meeting shall be held between April 15 and May 30 at which the members of the executive board from each convocation shall report and be accountable to their convocations; the convocation shall receive program reports and participate in a program evaluation process; delegates who have been elected to the annual Council shall receive orientation to the di-ocesan Council process; and the convocation shall review a proposed budget for the following year, and a projected budget for the year after.
Sec. 5 All clergy members, resident or doing duty, in any convocation and canonically connected with the diocese, are members of the convocation and entitled to all privileges thereof. Each parish, organized mission and mission station shall send as its lay delegates to the convoca-tion meetings those persons who have been duly elected as its lay delegates and alternates, re-spectively, to the forthcoming annual Council. Lay delegates and alternates when serving as principals, shall be entitles to the privileges of the convocation. Members of all congregations shall be invited and encouraged to attend meetings but voting privileges of lay persons in atten-dance shall be limited to delegates and alternates when serving as principals.
Sec. 6 Each Convocation may enact bylaws for its management subject to the approval of the ecclesiastical authority.
