All Things Convention

Convention 2014 is one like never before. Over the course of two days, five different events will take place: the dedication of our new diocesan center, a visit from our presiding bishop, convention business, the capital campaign kick-off and our 40th anniversary celebration.

On Friday, February 21, the day begins at 8 a.m. with the dedication of the Episcopal Church Center in Ocean Beach by the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. This will be the first diocesan center for our relatively young diocese. After the dedication, people will return to the DoubleTree in Mission Valley for workshops, budget and resolution hearings, and opening business. That evening, the capital campaign invites all members of the diocese to a celebration of the 40th anniversary and the kick-off of the capital campaign, Build the Serving Church. It is common practice for campaigns to host dinners at the start of a campaign, and for dioceses to celebrate special anniversaries.

Saturday, February 22 begins with hospitality at St. Paul’s Cathedral followed by a festive Eucharist with Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori officiating and celebrating. Afterward, it’s back to the DoubleTree for lunch, more workshops and the conclusion of business, which includes the election of our next General Convention deputation.

Complimentary bus transportation to and from the DoubleTree will be available. Reserve your seat through registration: www.edsd.org/diocon2014.

Extensive planning is underway to prepare for this most unusual set of occasions. The planning team, which welcomes your help, by the way, has deployed new tools in an effort to improve communications and processes associated with the convention.

A mobile website for the diocese is now available! Visit www.edsd.org on your mobile phone. There is general information on this site as well as a page dedicated to Convention. The full convention booklet will be available by February 20, which enables mobile users to follow along paperlessly.

Convention registration is open: www.edsd.org/diocon2014! There are two buttons: one for convention business, visitors, workshops, and bus transportation. The other is for the hosted gala dinner. Register today as tickets for the gala dinner are going fast. Thanks to generous donors, the cost of dinner is covered, but you must register to reserve your seat. Assigned tables will allow for a leisurely seating experience. Download your ticket and bring it with you to the gala dinner.

Registration costs for convention are as follows: $65 until November 1; $75 until January 1 and $95 until February 15.

To encourage early registration at the $65 rate, congregations will be invoiced in September for clergy and lay delegates.

Congregations will have the opportunity to support convention activities by advertising in a special commemorative edition of the Messenger. Another way congregations can get involved is through the creation of prayer flags. Used for centuries to promote peace and compassion, prayer flags are a universal symbol for giving visual voice to our prayers, hopes and dreams. These flags will be displayed throughout the fellowship hall at the Episcopal Church Center as part of the dedication, and elsewhere. For assistance in creating prayer flags, contact Ann Wilson, alohafromannie@msn.com, 858-232-4762. Our goal is 20 prayer flags from each church.

For more information, contact me, Nancy Holland. +