Attend May 16 Special Meeting of Convention

Updated on Thursday, May 14 – online registration is now closed.

The Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High. Jr., has called a Special Meeting of Convention for 10am Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Trinity Episcopal Church,  3401 Bellaire Drive So., Ft. Worth, TX 76109 to elect the next provisional bishop.

The Standing Committee of the diocese has nominated the Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas. Under the proposed arrangement, Mayer will continue as bishop of Northwest Texas while also serving as bishop of Fort Worth. The arrangement will continue until the Fort Worth diocese is positioned to elect a full time bishop. The plan calls for him to split his time between the two dioceses. The dioceses are not merging. This model of episcopacy is similar to the arrangement with the Rt. Rev. Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick, Jr., the diocese’s first provisional bishop, who also was serving as the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky at the time. A similar arrangement currently exists with the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, who serves as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and as provisional bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem (PA).

If elected, Mayer also will be installed at the special meeting of convention. He will assume his new duties prior to the 2015 General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City June 25-July 3. He will work with the deputation – elected lay and clergy deputies to General Convention – from Fort Worth as well as the deputation from Northwest Texas. Bishop High’s official day of departure from office is June 30.

St. Andrew’s and St. Christopher’s Episcopal churches are hosting a wine and cheese reception for Bishop Mayer and his wife, Kathy, from 5:30-7 pm  Friday, May 15, at St. Christopher Episcopal Church, 3550 Southwest Loop 820, Fort Worth, 76133. All are welcome. Childcare will be available from 5 to 7 pm.

On Saturday at Trinity, the Special Meeting of Convention will begin with worship at 10 am. The offering at worship will be designated for the bishop’s discretionary fund. Following a short break after worship, the business session will convene. A light lunch will be served in the Parish Hall following the end of the meeting. Trinity, All Saints’ Fort Worth; St. Alban’s, Arlington; and St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Keller, are providing the lunch for delegates and guests.

The Executive Council will meet at 1:30 in the Parish Hall for its regularly scheduled meeting.

REGISTRATION

UPDATE: Online registration has now closed.

In addition to registering online, all delegates, canonically resident clergy, and youth representatives will need to sign in prior to the convening of the business session, either before the worship service, or at the break between the worship service and the business session of convention.

Parking

On Saturday at Trinity, additional handicapped parking spaces will be available and marked with traffic cones.

Schedule Saturday May 16

• 8:30 – Coffee service is available – Parish Hall
• 9:00 – Worship rehearsal – Sanctuary
• 9:30 – Childcare is available – Nursery (infant through 5th grade)
• 10:00 – Opening Worship service – Sanctuary
• 11:15 – Worship concludes;short break
• 11:30 – Business session convenes
• 12:00/12:15 – Finger-food luncheon – Parish Hall and outdoors (weather permitting)
• 1:30 – Executive Council meeting – Parish Hall