The Constitution and Canons Of the Anglican Convocation of the West Of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints
April 6, 2016
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS the College of Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church has determined that the Diocese of the West should no longer exist as a diocese because of its size;
AND WHEREAS the clergy and the congregations within the Diocese of the West have formed a strong community of believers;
AND WHEREAS the said clergy and said congregations want to continue their fellowship as a Convocation;
AND WHEREAS the said clergy and said congregations desire to manifest the love of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to an unbelieving world;
AND WHEREAS the said clergy and said congregations have adopted as their primary mission to be evangelists of Christ to unbelievers in their geographic areas;
AND WHEREAS the clergy and the congregations of the Convocation of the West have resolved to work towards growing in membership and churches in order to be a diocese once again;
WE DO THEREFORE declare, pronounce, and proclaim that the Constitution and Canons of the Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints shall be as follows:
The Constitution of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints
ARTICLE I - Authority
The Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints acknowledges our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the Head of His Body, the Church. Christ, Himself, acting by the Holy Spirit is the Supreme Authority in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of which this Convocation is a part.
ARTICLE II - Adoption of the Constitution of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints
The Anglican Convocation of the West hereby adopts in full the Constitution of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints (hereinafter the “Constitution of MDAS”) as adopted on April 27, 2011 in Ocean City, Maryland. Said Constitution will be considered incorporated into and a part of the Constitution of the Anglican Convocation of the West.
ARTICLE III - Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Anglican Convocation of the West (hereinafter “Convocation”).
Section 2. The Convocation shall be incorporated in the State of Washington under the name of the “Diocese of the West (Anglican)”.
ARTICLE IV - Governance
Section 1. Governance of the Convocation shall be under the authority of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints (hereinafter “MDAS”).
Section 2. The Convocation shall provide for its governance by canon.
Section 3. The authority of the Convocation is vested in the annual Synod as provided in the Canons of the Convocation. Its chief officer is the Vicar-General also as provided in the Canons of the Convocation.
ARTICLE V - Mission
The mission and purpose of the Convocation is to provide a structure and community for the spiritual nurture and growth of faithful catholic Anglicans in the western United States and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in said geographical area, in accordance with the Anglican Way.
ARTICLE VI - Of Properties and Funds
Section 1. Property and funds of member parishes and any individuals within said parishes including clergy shall not be subject under any circumstances to any claim or trust interest whatsoever in favor of the Convocation.
Section 2. The Convocation shall hold title to its own property, whether real or personal, in its corporate name under the laws of the civil jurisdiction in which it is located and shall be immune to the temporal claim or jurisdiction of any other body, corporation, or person, civil or ecclesiastical.
The assets of the Convocation present at its organization shall remain with the Convocation and restricted funds shall continue to be administered by the Convocation as provided for by the stipulations of each restricted fund.
Section 3. Nothing in this Constitution or the Canons of the Anglican Convocation of the West shall defeat, entail, or encumber the title or right of any Parish, mission, school, or religious community in any of its real property or personality, or defeat, burden, or delay the right of any Bishop, Priest, Deacon, Deaconess, or employee of the Convocation to the full enjoyment of any vested portion of pension funds accrued to his account, or of any contractual right belonging to such pension.
Section 4. Each Parish of the Convocation shall hold title to its own property, whether real or personal, in its own name, under the laws of the civil jurisdiction in which it is located and shall be immune to the temporal claim or jurisdiction of any other body, corporation, or person, civil or ecclesiastical.
ARTICLE VII - Membership
Section 1. The Convocation exists as a volunteer association of Anglican parishes in the western United States, which are constituent congregations of MDAS.
Section 2. The Convocation shall provide for its membership by canon.
ARTICLE VIII - Canons
The Convocation’s Canons, consistent with this Constitution, the Constitution and Canons of MDAS, and the Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America (hereinafter “ACNA”), may be adopted, altered, amended, or repealed by the Convocation’s Synod.
ARTICLE IX - Amendments to the Constitution
Section 1. Any proposed alteration, amendment or repeal of this Constitution shall first be submitted in writing to both the Vicar-General of the Convocation and the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS, and shall be reported by the Vicar-General to the Convocation’s Synod.
Section 2. If approved by the Synod at its first reading, the proposed amendment shall be published in the minutes and held until the next Synod. Upon final consideration by the next succeeding Synod, it shall be adopted if approved by a two-thirds majority of the unicameral vote as provided by canon.
Section 3. Amendments to the Constitution shall take effect with the adjournment of the Synod by which they are finally adopted.
ARTICLE XI - Adoption of this Constitution
This Constitution shall be adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the delegates present at the organizing synod of the Convocation in April of 2016.
ARTICLE XII - Of the Adoption
I certify that the foregoing is the text of the Constitution of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints of the Anglican Church in North America adopted and ratified with amendments by the Convocational Synod at its meeting at Boerne, Texas on the 6th day of April in the year of our Lord 2016.
________________
The Rt. Rev. Winfield Mott
Bishop, of the Diocese Of the West &
Vicar-General, of the Anglican Convocation of the West
I certify that the text of the Constitution set out above is the text of the Constitution of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints of the Anglican Church in North America ratified by the Convocational Synod at its meeting at Boerne, Texas on the 6th day of April in the year of our Lord 2016.
________________
Deacon Herman Roark, Jr.
Secretary
The Canons of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints
TITLE I - ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
Canon 1 - Adoption of the Canons of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints
Section 1. The Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints hereby recognizes the authority of the Constitution and Canons of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints (hereinafter “MDAS”) as adopted on April 27, 2011 in Ocean City, Maryland and the Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America (hereinafter “ACNA”) as adopted on June 22 and 23, 2009 in Bedford, Texas.
Section 2. The Anglican Convocation of the West hereby adopts in full the Canons of the MDAS as adopted on April 27, 2011 in Ocean City, Maryland (see Appendix A). Said Canons will be considered incorporated into and a part of the Canons of the Anglican Convocation of the West (hereinafter the “Convocation”). As a result, to the extent that MDAS has adopted the Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America as adopted by ACNA on June 22 and 23, 2009 in Bedford, Texas, the Convocation of the West hereby adopts them as well (see Appendix B).
Canon 2 - Of the Convocation
Section 1. The Anglican Convocation of the West may be comprised of parishes, missions, religious orders, communities, societies, clergy, and laity gathered for mission under the oversight of the Bishop of MDAS and in conjunction with the Vicar-General of the Convocation.
Section 2. The Convocation is geographical, existing in and serving predominantly the Western part of the United States of America.
Canon 3 - Of the Convocational Synod
Section 1. The basic powers of governance for the Convocation shall be vested in an annual Synod, subject to the provisions herein of the Constitution and Canons of the Convocation.
Section 2. Delegates to the Synod shall be:
a) All non-retired bishops, priests and deacons in good standing in theConvocation and canonically resident in MDAS;
b) Two lay delegates from each member congregation, chosen by the vestry of each congregation or as otherwise provided by the congregation’s by-laws; and
c) Members of the Convocation Standing Committee not otherwise delegates.
Section 3. Annual meetings of the Synod shall be called by the Vicar-General, or in his absence, by the Standing Committee, giving written notice of the meeting at least forty-five days in advance of the date, to all member congregations and clergy. Electronic mail shall be deemed sufficient as written notice.
Section 4. Special Synods may be called as necessary by the Vicar-General or by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Standing Committee, giving notice as provided in Section 3 of this Canon.
Section 5. The Vicar-General shall preside at Synod. If the position is vacant, the Standing Committee shall choose one of its members to preside.
Section 6. The functions of the Synod shall be:
a) To elect the Vicar-General, as provided for in Canon 4;
b) To elect the Standing Committee, as provided for in Canon 5;
c) To establish such other committees as the Synod may deem necessary and provide for the appointment of committee members;
d) To elect a Secretary and a Treasurer, as provided for in Canon 6;
e) To adopt an annual budget for the Convocation;
f) To consider applications for membership in the Convocation by parishes or clergy wishing to affiliate;
g) To review each year whether or not the Convocation should affiliate with Forward in Faith-North America as a chapter;
h) To provide for an annual Clericus of the Convocation;
i) To establish such mission congregations as may be possible in the western United States;
j) To conduct such additional business as may be necessary, including but not limited to amending the Constitution and/or Canons of the Convocation;
k) To function as a unicameral body;
l) To provide for its own rules of order; and
m) To ascertain a quorum for the Synod is present. A quorum shall consist of a majority of Convocational clergy and an average of at least one delegate per congregation.
Section 7. At Synod, the Clergy and Laity shall deliberate as one body. Each bishop, priest, or deacon present and each lay delegate present shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
a) Unless a vote by orders is determined, required, or otherwise provided by the Constitution or Canons, a majority of the aggregate votes shall be decisive.
b) Whenever a vote by orders is determined, required, or otherwise provided, a concurrent majority in both orders shall be necessary.
c) If the provisions in the Constitution or the Canons require something besides a simple majority, that provision shall control regardless of whether the vote is by order or not.
d) Upon demand of any seven (7) members of the Synod representing not less than three (3) parishes or missions of the Convocation, the vote shall be taken by orders.
Canon 4 - Of the Vicar-General
Section 1. The chief officer of the Convocation shall be the Vicar-General.
Section 2. The Vicar-General shall be elected by the Synod, subject to ratification by the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS or, in case of a vacancy in that office, the ecclesiastical authority of MDAS. Should the Bishop Ordinary not ratify the selection of the Synod, another candidate shall be elected, also subject to ratification. If the Synod fails to elect a candidate, the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS may appoint a Vicar-General.
Section 3. If, for any reason, the Vicar-General is no longer able or willing to serve in that capacity, a Special Synod will be called to elect a new Vicar-General. Until that time, the Standing Committee will serve in his stead.
Section 4. The Vicar-General serves at the pleasure of the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS, and does not serve a specific term.
Section 5. The Vicar-General shall be a priest or bishop in good standing in MDAS.
Canon 5 - Of the Standing Committee
Section 1. The Synod shall provide for a Standing Committee, which shall be authorized to act between Synods for the necessary governance of the Convocation, subject to the ultimate authority of the Synod.
Section 2. The voting membership of the Standing Committee shall consist of:
a) The Vicar-General, who shall preside at its meetings;
b) The Secretary and the Treasurer of the Synod;
c) Two priests within the Convocation, each elected for a two-year term at alternate annual synods. At the organizing synod, one priest shall be elected for a one year term and one for a two-year term;
d) One deacon within the Convocation, elected for a two-year term; and
e) Two laypersons within the Convocation, each elected for a two-year term at alternate annual synods. At the organizing synod, one layperson shall be elected for a one-year term and one for a two-year term.
Canon 6 - Of the Secretary and the Treasurer
Section 1. The Synod shall elect a Secretary and a Treasurer for a term of three-years each. These officers may be either lay or clergy constituents within the Convocation.
Section 2. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of the Synod and the Standing Committee and maintain the records and correspondence of the Convocation.
Section 3. The Treasurer shall be the financial officer of the Convocation, responsible for accounts receivable and payable, banking, financial records and other financial activities of the Convocation. He or she shall present an annual budget for approval by the Synod each year.
Canon 7 - Of Term Limits
All elected offices shall be without term limits. The Standing Committee shall appoint an eligible person to fill any vacancy in an elected office, except Vicar-General, for the remaining duration of the term.
Canon 8 - Of Parishes and Vestries
Section 1. Every congregation and church of the Convocation shall be known as a “Parish” in the Convocation, regardless of average attendance and shall be incorporated within the state where it is located.
Section 3. Every Parish of this Convocation is a member of MDAS and ACNA by union.
Section 4. The formation of a new Parish or the reception of an existing Parish into this Convocation shall be through recommendations of the Bishop, MDAS and the Vicar-General of the Convocation in conjunction with his Standing Committee, and approved by the Convocational Synod. The Bishop, MDAS may offer episcopal oversight until the Convocational Synod acts on the recommendation.
Section 5. Each Parish shall define the qualifications for the members of its Vestry in the Parish Canons and/or By-laws, as long as they do not conflict with the Canons of MDAS.
Section 6. All parish property, real and personal, owned by a member parish of the Convocation is and shall be solely and exclusively owned by the parish and shall not be subject to any trust in favor of the Convocation as specified and elaborated in ARTICLE VI of the Constitution of the Convocation.
Canon 9 - Of the Board of Examining Chaplains
Section 1. There shall be a committee of three priests and one deacon who shall serve as the Examining Chaplains of the Convocation.
Section 2. Examining Chaplains are responsible for establishing standards for candidates for the diaconate and priesthood, monitoring the progress of candidates and measuring their level of attainment, and recommending candidates ready for ordination to the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS.
Section 3. The Vicar-General shall appoint the Examining Chaplains from among the clergy of the Convocation, to serve at his pleasure.
Section 4. Examining Chaplains should be noted for theological scholarship, pastoral expertise, academic experience or deep spiritual insight.
Section 5. The Examining Chaplains shall choose a chair from among their number.
Canon 10 - Of Membership in a Parish
Membership requires that a person has received the Sacrament of Baptism with water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and that such a person has been received in a parish according to the by-lawsof that parish and recorded in the Parish Register.
TITLE II - ENACTMENT, AMENDMENT, AND REPEAL
Canon 1 - Enacting the Canons
The Canons of the Convocation will be enacted by a majority vote of delegates, not voting by order, at the formation Synod with a quorum present.
Canon 2 - Amending and Repealing the Canons
Section 1. Once these Canons have been adopted, any further proposed alteration, amendment or repeal of these Canons shall first be submitted in writing (electronic mail is acceptable) to both the Vicar-General of the Convocation and the Bishop Ordinary of MDAS, and shall be reported by the Vicar-General to the Convocation’s Synod.
Section 2. Subject to Section 1 of this Canon, these Canons may be repealed or amended by a majority vote of delegates at a Synod with a quorum present, provided the proposed change has been circulated by written notice (electronic mail is acceptable) to all member congregations and clergy at least thirty days prior to the date of the Synod.
Section 3. The Convocation Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of delegates at a Synod with a quorum present, provided the proposed change has been circulated by written notice (electronic mail is acceptable) and is in keeping with the requirements of ARTICLE X of the said Constitution.
I certify that the foregoing is the text of the Canons of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints of the Anglican Church in North America adopted and ratified with amendments by the Convocational Synod at its meeting at Boerne, Texas on the 6th day of April in the year of our Lord 2016.
________________
The Rt. Rev. Winfield Mott
Bishop, of the Diocese Of the West &
Vicar-General, of the Anglican Convocation of the West
I certify that the text of the Constitution set out above is the text of the Canons of the Anglican Convocation of the West of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints of the Anglican Church in North America ratified by the Convocational Synod at its meeting at Boerne, Texas on the 6th day of April in the year of our Lord 2016.
________________
Deacon Herman Roark Jr.
Secretary