Nominations open for positions to be filled at 2013 Diocesan Convention

Nominations are now open for positions that will be filled at the 2013 convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth November 8 and 9, 2013, in Wichita Falls. Qualified candidates are invited to read, pray, and discern if they are called to offer themselves in nomination for any of the elected positions described below.

In all cases, a nominee must

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Meet qualifications to hold office nominated
• Be willing to stand for election and willing to serve if elected
• Acknowledge fiduciary duty under The Episcopal Church Canon I.17.8
• Pledge to read the Constitution & Canons of The Episcopal Church and to give faithful performance to duties in accordance with the same
• Be willing to perform the duties of elected office (i.e., attend all meetings, share responsibility of work, etc.)
• Provide brief bio (150 word limit) and head shot photo
• Verify membership in the diocese by the following:
  • Laity – Adult communicant in good standing of a parish within the Diocese of Fort Worth, for approximately one year
  • Clergy – Canonically resident in the Diocese of Fort Worth

The deadline for online nominations is September 9, 2013.

Positions to be filled include:

The Standing Committee – one lay and one clergy member. The Standing Committee is the council of advice for the bishop or the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese if there is no bishop. Three priests and three lay persons serve for three years with one priest and one lay member elected each year. No person may serve for more than two consecutive terms. The Standing Committee typically meets monthly. The continuing members of the Standing Committee are lay members Elinor Normand and Norm Snyder and clergy members Susan Slaughter and Curt Norman. Members whose terms are expiring are lay member Martha Fagley and clergy member Bill Stanford.

Trustee for the University of the South – one lay person. Length of term is three years. Duties include attending trustee meeting in the fall at the University of the South at Sewanee, TN, which usually involves several weekdays, especially for a new trustee. There is an optional spring meeting. There may be some expenses related to this responsibility. The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is one of the owner dioceses of the University of the South and thus is represented at the primary Trustee meeting. Continuing trustees are lay member Sherrie Glaser and clergy member John Stanley. Lay member Catherine Wehlberg’s term is expiring.

Disciplinary Board – two clergy and one lay member. Two clergy members and one lay member are to be elected for three-year terms (2016) and one clergy member will fill an unexpired unfilled term through 2015. The Disciplinary Board meets as needed when called by the bishop. Continuing members of the board are lay members Brent Walker and Janice Schattman, and clergy member John Payne.

Deputies and alternates to General Convention – four lay and four clergy deputies and four lay and four clergy alternates. Deputies elected at this convention will attend the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, June 25 – July 3, 2015, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

The first business item at the diocesan convention will be a nominating ballot, which will determine the final slate of nominees in all offices.

Any nominations after the closing date of September 9, 2013 may be made from the floor at diocesan convention, and will follow all the requirements for candidates, including sufficient copies of picture and biographical information for all clergy and convention delegates, plus verification of qualifications. The requirements for nominations from the floor of convention will be posted on the diocesan website no later than October 1, 2013.

In addition, the following are positions which are nominated by the bishop and confirmed by the convention. If you would like to volunteer in these areas and potentially be available for a future nomination, please email the nominations committee at nominations.committee@edotn.org.

• Diocesan Secretary
• Diocesan Registrar
• Diocesan Historiographer
• Diocesan Treasurer
• Diocesan Chancellor

Other groups which welcome new membership each year include:

• Commission on Ministry
• Finance Committee
• Christian Formation Committee

The nomination form is available through September 9, 2013.

A downloadable brochure is provided as a recruitment tool.

For more information, email nominations.committee@edotn.org.