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The annual conventions of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and the Diocese of Western New York were held on Saturday, November 7 as a virtual gathering due to the coronavirus pandemic. Download the notice of 2020 convention.

The one-day, paperless convention began in the morning with a joint Zoom session on our shared mission, with special emphases on racial justice work and the development of our mission strategy. The morning session included worship, Bishop Sean’s address and reports from the Mission Strategy Advisory Group and the Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination. In the afternoon, each diocese had a business session, also held on Zoom. Download the full convention schedule.

2020 Convention Journal

Download the 2020 Journal of the Joint Conventions

Read an article about the convention.

Bishop’s address to convention

Watch Bishop Sean’s address on YouTube.

sermon by the rev. Lester mackenzie

On November 6, the Rev. Lester Mackenzie, chaplain of the House of Deputies and rector of St. Mary’s, Laguna Beach, California, preached at a service of reconciliation hosted by the Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination. Watch the sermon on YouTube.

Budget

Download the budget documents for Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York:

Diocese of Western New York budget summary
Diocese of Western New York budget narrative (updated)

Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania operating budget summary
Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania program/transition budget summary
Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania budget narrative (updated)

Elections and appointments

At convention, lay and clergy people were elected or appointed to the following diocesan leadership positions:

Northwestern Pennsylvania

  • Diocesan Council:  Cheryl Wild, the Rev. Matthew Scott and the Rev. Mary Lord
  • Standing Committee:  Donna Billioni, the Rev. William Ellis
  • Constitution and Canons Committee: Robert Guerrein, the Rev. Matthew Scott

Western New York

  • Diocesan Council:  Sue Stanislawski, Reid Heffner and the Rev. James Clement
  • Standing Committee:  Saxon Cobb Deck, the Rev. Kim Rossi
  • Trustees:  Robert Matson, Karen Gengo

Bishop Sean appointed members of the new joint Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination, the joint Commission on Ministry, and appointed the Revs. Stacey Fussell, Diana Leiker, Carol Carlson, Luke Fodor, Matthew Scott, and Randi Hicks Rowe to the Joint Board of Examining Chaplains.

In the Diocese of Western New York, the Revs. Randi Hicks Rowe (Northern Region), Colleen O’Connor (Genesee), Luke Fodor (Cattaragus/Chautauqua), Ann Tillman (Southern Erie), Ellen Brauza (Central Erie), and Vicki Zust (Eastern Erie) will be regional deans in 2021. The Rev. Elizabeth Hadaway and Peter Snodgrass will serve on the Constitution and Canons Committee, while Justice Rose Sconiers and Howard Gondree will constitute the Dispatch of Business Committee and the Rev. Sare Anuszkiewicz, Patrick Bradley, and the Rev. Nick Evancho will serve on the Resolutions Committee, which Elisabeth Brauza-Hughes will chair.

In the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Bishop Sean appointed the Rev. Adam Trambley as secretary, Robert Armstrong as treasurer, Jeff Mills as assistant treasurer and James Steadman as chancellor. The Rev. Martha Ishman and Gretchen Tome will serve as the Credentials Committee, and the Dispatch of Business Committee will include the bishop, Steadman, Trambley, the Rev. Matthew Scott and Anne Bardol. The Nominating Committee will be the members of the Standing Committee excepting those with one year remaining on their terms. Robert Guerrein will be historiographer, and the Rev. John Downey will be the ecumenical officer. The regional deans will be the Revs. Mary Norton (Northwest), Adam Trambley (Southwest), Bill Ellis (Southeast), and Stacey Fussell (Northeast).

Download the proposed rules of order for convention. (approved by convention)

Pledge of Faith and Action Against Racial Injustice

Download the Pledge of Faith and Action Against Racial Injustice discussed during the report of the Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination to convention.

Minutes

Download the convention minutes for each diocese:

Northwestern Pennsylvania
Western New York

JOINT PRE-CONVENTION GATHERINGS

Joint pre-convention gatherings were held via Zoom on October 7 and October 8. Watch the video: