St. Stephen's was well represented at Diocesan Convention at the Ramada in Fargo. Katie Ilze and Kristofer Sando served as Acolytes and Deacon John Peter Anderson served as a Deacon at the Diocesan Eucharist with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. And we had a full delegation.
Deacon John assisting Bishop Tom, with Deacon Hellen Lodu
John Baird
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Leo Wilking
Amy Phillips speaks on her resolution for Creation
Care as Stephanie Garcia looks on.
We had a great Annual Diocesan Convention October 21-22 at the Ramada in Fargo. A highlight was seeing and listening to the wonderful preaching of our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry.
St. Stephen’s has an important role in the diocese and played a large part in the success of the weekend.
Sandy Holbrook invested a great deal of time helping to plan the convention. She and other members were integral in the services and cleanup.
St. Stephen’s members contributing to the success of the convention included Katie and Kristofer Sando as acolytes, John Anderson as deacon, and Steve Buldoc setting and clearing the altar.
Fr. Jamie Parsley was on the nomination committee.
The preconvention workshops included one on Creation Care led by Amy Philips and Trevor Johnson. As Chancellor, Leo Wilking, sat at the head table advising the bishop and convention on parliamentary matters.
All four resolutions, which passed with a large majority, came from and were presented by St. Stephen’s.
On behalf of the Canons Committee, Leo Wilking presented Resolution # 1 - a change in the canons to set the Annual Convention at least 18 months in advance.
John Baird presented two resolutions put forward by the vestry of St. Stephens.
Resolution # 2 on gun violence - that this Convention deplores the increase in gun violence across the United States, including mass shootings in schools, churches, grocery stores and shopping malls, and urges our state and Federal officeholders to take further action to limit or eliminate the availability of guns and high-capacity magazines – especially weapons of war such as the AR-15 rifle — to those
persons unfit to purchase them.
Resolution # 3 vestry was on reproductive rights - that this Convention deplores the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and affirms that reproductive rights are human rights and that the decision to have an abortion is a decision that should be left to the woman and her physician, with limited restrictions. Both were forwarded to the Episcopal Church Office
of Government Relations and to the Governor of North Dakota and Members of Congress from North Dakota. The reproductive rights resolution was also sent to all members of the state legislature.
Amy Philips put forth a resolution from Creation Care – Resolution # 4 that encourages the Diocesan Council and all Diocesan parishes to learn more about the scientific realities, pressing moral implications, and needs (especially in parish areas) related to climate change; encourages the Diocesan Council and Diocesan parishes to advocate for local and state policies and solutions to climate change
and its consequences, utilizing and adapting resources from the Episcopal Church (and from other local, state, and national sources) related to creation care, environmental advocacy, and environmental justice; and encourages local parishes to incorporate local nature, environmental justice, and advocacy for creation care into all aspects of community life and Christian education and worship.
We have four members on the Diocesan Council. John Baird was elected to Standing Committee, as well as elected as a deputy to General Convention in Kentucky to be held in 2024.
Deacon John Anderson was reelected from the East region to Council.
Stephanie Garcia continues as a regional representative on Council and Leo Wilking, as Chancelor is a member.
Our Convention delegates were Fr. Jamie Parsley, Deacon John Anderson, John Baird, Annette Morrow, Leroy Chief, Janice Chief, Steve Bolduc, Sandy Holbrook, Andrea Olson, Jessica Anderson, Gin Templeton, Amy Philips, and Leo Wilking.
