Resolutions for the 2024 Diocesan Convention Resolution 1 is brought forward from last year’s Convention. Resolutions 2 through 5 result from the work of the 2024 Convention Committee on Charter and Canons. You may view the full report on Resolutions 1-5 here. Resolution 6 was submitted through the diocesan Call for Resolutions process. Resolution 1 is an amendment to the Diocese’s Articles of Reincorporation (the “charter”) that was approved at the 180th Convention in November 2023; it requires a second hearing and vote at the 181st Convention to be effective. The amendment contains a number of provisions required by Florida law generally to amend and restate a charter. The key provision to be amended relates to the quorum required for a convention at which a bishop is to be elected; it reduces that quorum requirement from two-thirds each of the clergy and lay delegates to a majority each of the clergy and lay delegates. Resolution 2 is an amendment of diocesan Canons to allow for participation in diocesan conventions by other means of communication besides physical presence and to include The Florida Statutes as among the reference materials applicable to the Diocese as a corporate entity. Resolution 3 is an amendment of diocesan Canon 12 that clarifies the process for the sale of diocesan property, redefines the Finance and Investment Committee’s role in diocesan property disposition and diocesan and parish borrowing, and clarifies the process by which the Diocese executes legal documents. Resolution 4 is an amendment of various Canons to clarify and update canon language. Resolution 5 is an amendment of diocesan Canon 1 to provide for an update to which clergy are delegates to diocesan conventions, using and defining in canon the concept of “cure”; in clarifying which clergy are delegates, it provides for canonically resident clergy without cure to have the access to vote by registering. Resolution 6 is an amendment submitted pursuant to the diocesan Rules of Order relating to scheduling a process to elect a Bishop Diocesan. For background, guidelines for future submissions from Article XI of the Diocesan Convention’s Rules of Order are pasted below. XI RESOLUTIONS Resolutions may be submitted by any delegate to Convention. Prior to submission, all resolutions must be approved by the vestry/mission board of the submitting delegate’s congregation and seconded by a delegate of another congregation whose vestry/mission board has approved such resolution. Resolutions may also be submitted by the Diocesan Council, any committee or commission of the Diocese, or any board established by the Canons. Resolutions are to be submitted to the Resolutions Committee sixty days before Convention and handled according to the procedures of the Resolutions Commission, however, a resolution which does not comply with the requirements of this rule may be considered by the Convention on an affirmative vote of the majority of the members present. RESOLUTION FORMAT Resolution Title: Create a title for the resolution that reflects the reason for the resolution and any requested action. Whereas Section: Give justifications or reasons for your resolution. Start each statement with the word “Whereas.” Write a “Whereas statement” for each reason or justification. Resolved Section: State the action you plan to take. Start the first action statement with the words “Resolved.” Begin each additional action statement with the words “Be it further resolved.” Each “Resolved statement” should address one or more of your “Whereas statements.” Explanation Section: Any further statement to clarify the resolution being proposed. This section is optional.