Preparing for convention

RESOLUTIONS FACING Convention 2025

The deadline for timely submissions of resolutions to amend the canons has passed. All resolutions regarding amendments to the canons filed between now and Convention will only be considered if Convention unanimously consents to hearing the resolution. (Canon V.1.05 of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.)

The deadline for timely submissions of resolutions that do not include canonical changes has passed. All such resolutions filed between now and convention will only be considered if Convention consents to hearing the resolution with a 2/3 vote. (Rule 19, Rules of Order of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego).

You can submit a resolution for review below:

2024

Adopted REsolutions

RESOLUTION 24-01

Title: Increasing the size of the Disciplinary Board

Proposed By: The Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch, Canon to the Ordinary

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA; 619-481-
5457

Date: August 2, 2024

RESOLVED That Canon III.6.02 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read:

6.02 Disciplinary Board. The Disciplinary Board shall consist of not fewer than seven members, and no more than thirteen members. four clerical and three lay. The majority of the Board members shall be Priests or Deacons, but by no more than one. The Disciplinary Board shall take the place of the Ecclesiastical Trial Court. The members of the Ecclesiastical Trial Court whose terms continue beyond the February 2011 Convention shall be members of the Disciplinary Board. At that Convention, one clergyperson and one lay person shall each be elected to serve a three year term, one clergyperson shall be elected to serve a two year term and one lay person shall be elected to serve a one year term. Thereafter, all members shall be elected to serve three year terms, and any member may be re-elected for multiple terms.

This amendment will take effect immediately upon its adoption, and any vacancies on the Disciplinary Board created by this amendment may be filled by an election held at the same convention that adopts the amendment.

EXPLANATION

When Title IV cases come before the Disciplinary Board, it has proven difficult to coordinate members’ schedules. Increasing the number of members will help to alleviate those difficulties.

This proposed change is in compliance with Title IV.5.1 of The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Diocese of San Diego Canon V.1.1.08.

RESOLUTION 24-02 

Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-B004; Commending Safe Gun Storage

Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159

Date: October 2, 2024

RESOLVED, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolution 2024- B004 Commending Safe Gun Storage; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention commend safe gun storage practices and support lethal means safety counseling that can prevent suicides, homicides, and unintentional gun deaths and firearm injuries; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge congregations to distribute to members of their congregations and communities information and materials that promote the safe storage of all firearms; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge federal, state, and local officials to support Ethan’s Law and other legislation and policies that would create federal, state, and local incentives and requirements for safe gun storage; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge federal, state, and local officials to support legislation and policies that prevent children’s access to guns and impose penalties on adults who allow unsecured guns to be accessed by children; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention commend legislation and policies that offer gun owners a secure place to store firearms in times of crisis; and be it further

Resolved, That the diocese, congregations, and individual Episcopalians be encouraged to advocate for increased education and funding for safe storage practices, legislation, and policies.

Explanation

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Gun Violence Solutions reports that more than half of all U.S. gun owners store firearms unlocked.

Safely storing firearms can reduce gun injuries and deaths, especially suicides, deaths of children and youth, and unintentional shootings.

Churches can play a key role in helping gun owners to secure their firearms in a safe manner. This resolution is supported by Bishops United Against Gun Violence.

Safe storage is affordable and effective. Everytown For Gun Safety cites two studies: One study found that households that lock firearms and ammunition were associated with a 78% lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85% percent lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens. The second study estimated that if households with guns switched to locking all of their guns, one-third of youth gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented.

Preventing suicides through safe storage is essential to reducing gun violence. Suicides account for the majority of gun deaths in the United States, and in 2022, 26,993 people died by gun suicide - an all-time high since the Centers for Disease Control began recording data in 1968.

Safe storage is also essential to curb the rising tide of gun deaths among children and youth. The Center for Gun Violence solutions reports that guns remained the leading cause of death for children and teens in 2022, the last year for which comprehensive data is available. KFF, a leading health policy research organization, reports that of the 2,543 child and adolescent firearm deaths in 2022, 27% were due to suicides and 5% were accidental.

Safe storage can also help curb gun violence that impacts children and teens of color disproportionately. KFF reports that in 2022, the rate of firearm deaths among Black youth was substantially higher

than any other racial and ethnic group and six times higher than white youth. From 2018 to 2022, firearm death rates of Black youth doubled and rates among American Indian and Alaska Native youth were also higher than the rates of white, Asian and Hispanic youth although, during this period, firearm death rates among Hispanic youth increased by 73%.

Unsecured guns are also at risk of theft; Everytown for Gun Safety reports that each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns are stolen. Many are funneled into the underground market, which disproportionately fuels gun violence that affects communities of color.

Safely storing firearms makes sense and is an easy and proven way to reduce gun deaths.

Resources:

University of Michigan National Center for School Safety:https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/docume nt/safe_storage_fact_sheet.pdf

Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices: https://everytownsupportfund.org/guide-to-secure-gun-storage- devices/

Be SMART: https://besmartforkids.org/

Ethan’s Law:

https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/01312023ethans_l awonepager.pdf

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/748/all-actions

RESOLUTION 24-03

Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-D011 Regarding The Prohibition of Assault Weapons

Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159

Date: October 2, 2024

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolutions 2024-D011 and 2015-C005 regarding The Prohibition of Assault Weapons; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention acknowledge that since the passage of 2015-C005, as a nation, we have experienced some of the worst mass killings in the world – such as the 2016 Pulse Night Club Shooting, the 2017 Las Vegas Strip Shooting, and the 2022 Uvalde School Shooting; and it be further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention strongly urge the United States Congress to ban, except for military and law enforcement agencies, the possession of all military-style assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention supports the action of the Executive Council to refer this resolution to the Office of Government Relations.

Explanation

The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, 48 Stat. 1236 was enacted on June 26, 1934, and is currently codified and amended as I.R.C. ch. 53. And since the law is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes an excise tax on the manufacturer, and transfer of certain firearms, and mandates the registration of those firearms. The NFA also is referred to as Title II of the federal firearms laws, with the Gun Control Act of 1968 ("GCA") as Title I; and

according to numerous news articles and various news commentaries such as one written by Jay Andersen in the AZMIRROW, an Arizona Newspaper, "AR-15 style rifles have played a prominent role in many high-profile mass shootings in this country and have come to be widely characterized as the weapon of choice for these crimes. AR-15s or similar rifles were the primary weapons used in around half of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern American history, including the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting (in Connecticut); the 2017 Sutherland Springs Church shooting (in Texas); the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting (in Florida). Many of the nation's most recent shootings in 2022 & 2023 have involved AR-15s or similar rifles; and now in Buffalo, (New York); Uvalde, (Texas);" and the Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park, Illinois; and

Assault weapons originally were designed for military use as full or semi- automatic weapons of war. As such, they were designed to fire ammunitions at three times the velocity of ordinary rifles and with such force to kill people in warfare; and

There is no rational reason to sell such weapons to the general public, especially when weighed against the increasing danger to public safety caused by the sale of each and every such weapon; and

Assault weapons are commercially manufactured and sold as semi-automatic weapons in the U.S. to persons 18 years or older based on a background check via the "National Instant Criminal Background Check System" (NICS). The background check is based on having proper identification such as a government-issued photo I.D. card, driver's license, or passport. The purchaser must also complete the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) form 4473 when purchased from a Federal Firearm Licensed (FFL) dealer; and

Sawed-off (short-barreled) shotguns, rifles, or firearm suppressors classified as Title II devices under the NFA have additional requirements when purchased or transferred. The purchase or transfer must be completed through a Class III (FFL) dealer. The applicant is required to complete ATF Form 4, provide two passport-style photos, a set of ATF fingerprint cards, and pay $200.00 for a tax stamp. The purchase or transfer cannot be completed by the (FFL) dealer until approval has been received from ATF; and

An applicant for the purchase or transfer of a Title II device through a Class III dealer must be; a United States Citizen, at least 21 years of age, meet the requirements for buying a handgun; and be a resident of the state where the firearm is purchased or transferred; and

A law requiring assault weapons to be classified as Title II devices and sold or transferred under these laws and regulations is an option that would deter undesirable applicants and slow down the process to obtain an assault weapon. Such safety requirements would establish controls to ensure this type of weapon is not readily or easily obtainable for illegal purposes, most notably, mass shootings; and

The physical and mental damage is done to victims of such shootings who, particularly in the case of children are left unrecognizable by assault-style weapons and the victims and families of shootings must bear the financial burden; and

The rapidity at which mass shootings are occurring with the use of such weapons is continuing to increase rapidly making clear that such shooting violence in our country has reached a crisis; and

The FBI has made public pronouncements indicating that our greatest threat from terrorists in our country is from domestic terrorists; and

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban in effect from 1994 to 2004 was found in multiple studies to reduce public mass shootings, gun deaths, and gun injuries; and

There are estimates that over 20 million Americans now possess these types of assault, automatic or semi-automatic weapons; and

The use of such weapons can and has given various mass shooters certain advantages over law enforcement and security officials who, after or during a shooting, try to restore the public peace and/or arrest the shooter who is in possession of an AR-15 style assault weapon.

Therefore, this 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego urges the members of the United States Congress to adopt a new ban on the purchase and ownership of all assault weapons, automatic weapons, semi-automatic weapons, or weapons that operate similarly thereto.

RESOLUTION 24-04 

Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-D014 Declare Gun Violence a National Health Crisis

Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159

Date: October 2, 2024

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolution 2024- D014 Declare Gun Violence a National Health Crisis; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention hereby urge Congress and all officials at the national, state, and local levels to work to have gun violence recognized and defined as a public health epidemic and national health crisis; and be it further

Resolved, That the Diocesan Convention urge Congress and all officials at the national, state and local levels to work together, to enact legislation and promote policies that protect the rights of all Americans to live in safe environments free from gun violence, and to allocate sufficient funding for education, awareness and research; and be it further

Resolved, That the Diocesan Convention urge the reform of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to ensure equal access to benefits without discrimination to families in communities with higher-than- average rates of homicide, and designate funding to provide community-based mental health services and supports to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence, homicide and suicide; and be it further

Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention supports the action of the Executive Council to refer this resolution to the Office of Government Relations, so that it may take all actions necessary to accomplish the intentions and purposes of this resolution.

Explanation

Over 30,000 lives are claimed by gun violence annually in the United States; and

African Americans suffer disproportionately from gun violence in the United States; and

African Americans are 14 times more likely to be killed with guns than whites, and among young black men, gun violence is the leading cause of death; and

Among whites, the predominant cause of firearm-related deaths is suicide; among African Americans 80% of firearm-related death is homicide; and

2024 DIOCON Reso on Gun Violence a Health Crisis 2

Every day 93 people die from gunshot injuries, seven of whom are children, while more than 180 people are victims of nonfatal gunshot injuries every day, 40 of whom are children or teens; and

In addition to death and injury, gun violence creates a sense of a lack of safety and exposes people and communities to traumatic events, which include but are not limited to: witnessing gun violence, being fearful to go or be outside because of gun violence, fear of being near areas or activities which often escalate to violence, having had to hide due to gun violence or violent activity in the neighborhood, and/or having lost a relative or close friend to gun violence; and

The known impacts of chronic and complex trauma include low self-regulation, poor impulse control, mental health problems, cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, and substance abuse; and

Congress has blocked the passage of sensible gun legislation to protect the American public and our children by significantly curtailing the proliferation of, and access to, illegal guns in America. This includes bills that would create a requirement to report lost and stolen guns; reauthorize an assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban; close the gun-show and fire-sale loopholes; and repeal restrictions on state and local law enforcement's access to trace gun data; and

After the passage of the groundbreaking Brady Bill in 1993, the U.S. Congress has consistently cut and blocked funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an agency that supports research into the issues that contribute to homicide and gun violence. Congress has also instituted structural restrictions that prevent the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire Arms and Explosives (ATF) from effectively and comprehensively carrying out its role of oversight of the firearms industry; and

Public Law 109-92, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed in2005, prevents firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. PL 109-92 effectively prevents victims of firearms violence in the United States from successfully suing manufacturers and dealers for negligence and or contributory negligence. It closes an avenue by which victims can seek redress for suffering caused by the murders of loved ones, and

The U.S. Department of Justice's report, Vision 21, called for reform to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and identified African American boys and men, and their families, as among the victims of crime who are under-served, facing barriers to services, denial of services, and/or denial of funding, and

While America has laws that protect our children from products, activities, or situations that may cause them harm or injury, and make it illegal for them to purchase substances such as alcohol and tobacco, we have not done enough to protect children and teens from access to guns.

RESOLUTION 24-05

Title: Require Individual Congregations to Consider Declaring their Church Property as Weapon-Free Zones.

Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159

Date: October 2, 2024

Whereas, reflecting the church’s traditional role as a place of safety and sanctuary; and

Whereas, in accordance with our discipleship of Jesus Christ to protect the sacredness of every human being and to create communities that are peaceful, safe and secure — where people do not live in fear of the impact of gun violence; and

Whereas, it is time that we conscientiously address the intent of General Convention Resolution 2012-D003 that requests “every parish and every diocesan place of work to declare their establishments as Gun Free Zones”.

It is Hereby Resolved that the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego requires each congregation and parish within said diocese to consider declaring their campus, particularly their sanctuary, schools, preschools and childcare facilities, as weapon-free zones and report the result of such consideration to the Diocese.

EXPLANATION:

In keeping with our discipleship of Jesus Christ, and dedication to the sanctity of life, our places of worship should reflect Christ’s teachings, providing a space where all can worship, reflect, and gather in the presence of God without fear or concern for safety.

This resolution implements the policies of the Episcopal Church. In 2012 the Episcopal House of Deputies at the 77th General Convention passed resolution 2012-D003 that “requests every parish and every diocesan place of work to declare their establishments as Gun Free Zones.” The Resolution reaffirms the historical role of the church as a place of safety and sanctuary.

Bishop Susan Brown-Snook in her “Statement on Gun Violence” (May 2024), encouraged “the leadership in each congregation within our diocese to consider declaring itself a weapon-free zone. This declaration reinforces our dedication to nonviolence and the sanctity of life, central tenets of our calling as followers of Christ”.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on September 6, 2024 ruled that the California Legislature likely could not prohibit weapons from places of worship (Wolford v. Lopez, No. 23-16164, 2024 WL 4097462, at *24 (9th Cir. Sept. 6, 2024)). In its ruling the 9th Circuit

emphasized that churches may themselves prohibit guns in places of worship. “[N]othing in the law and nothing in this opinion prevents the owner or operator of a place of worship from prohibiting the carry of firearms as a matter of ordinary property law, consistent with the requirements of state law. The preliminary injunction means only that the State cannot ban firearms from places of worship where the owner or operator wishes to allow firearms at the place of worship.”

With the increasing number of shootings and firearm incidents in our schools and churches, it is time to address how we can best achieve the goal that congregants have the ability to worship safely and without concern that firearms are present and may cause harm.

We believe that increasing the number of guns is not a safe path to increased security. Data from United Against Gun Violence/Brady (bradyunited.org) show that Americans are 25x more likely to be shot and killed than others in high-income countries; as of 2022, the US has 121 firearms per 100 residents, making it the only country with more civilian- owned firearms than people.

In evaluating what direction your congregation will take, you may want to consider the most recent study regarding gun-free zones conducted by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program and other scholarly organizations (The Lancet Regional Health Americas, Vol 37, September 2024). The study found that “active shootings were 62.5% less likely to occur in gun-free establishments than in gun-allowing establishments.” In a UC Davis Health News story about the study (August 30, 2024), the study’s first author, Paul Reeping, an injury epidemiologist and postdoctoral scholar at the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis, said, “Our most significant finding is that gun-free zones don’t attract active shooters. The study actually shows that gun-free zones have a preventive effect. The biggest takeaway is that the claim that gun-free zones are more dangerous is simply not true.”

You may also want to consider that campuses, churches, and government agencies, etc., who have adopted weapon-free zones, do, of course, allow exceptions to weapon-free zones for law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity.

RESOLUTION 24-06

Title: On the Approval of Community of Light as a Diocesan Institution

Proposed By: Community of Light, Inc.

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: The Rev. Canon Jeff Martinhauk, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107

Date: October 8, 2024

Whereas

• The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego has received a generous donation of the use of a building in Tijuana, Mexico, from Tony and Pilar Ralphs;

• The building is located near the US-Mexico border in Tijuana, where thousands of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees are facing a serious humanitarian crisis;

• The bishop, in collaboration with Via International; and Vida Joven, has formed a ministry called Community of Light, Inc., a US 501(c)(3), to raise funds to minister to the border crisis;

• In collaboration with the Anglican Diocese of Western Mexico, Community of Light. Inc. has formed a Mexican nonprofit Association Civil, Comunidad Anglicana de Luz, which will provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care, legal assistance, pastoral care, and spiritual support to women and children at the border, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, religion, or immigration status;

• Community of Light is committed to the mission and vision of the Episcopal Church, and to the values of justice, compassion, dignity, and solidarity;

• Community of Light has expressed its desire to become an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, and to be recognized as such by the diocesan convention;

• All canonical requirements for recognition as an Institution of the diocese have been
  satisfied.

Therefore, be it resolved

• That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego expresses its profound gratitude to Tony and Pilar Ralphs for donating the use of the building in Tijuana;

• That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego commends the work of Community of Light and Comunidad de Luz, and celebrates their ministry of service, hospitality, and accompaniment to the people at the border;

• That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego approves the request of Community of Light to become an institution of the diocese, subject to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego;

• That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego encourages the clergy and laity of the diocese to support Community of Light and Comunidad de Luz with prayers, donations, volunteers, and partnerships.

2024

Elected for Diocesan POsitions

Secretary of Convention

to serve until 2025

The Rev. Dr. Brian Johnson

Disciplinary Board

to serve until 2027

Daniel Crane

Gary Gleason

Donna Perdue

The Rev. Leland Jones

The Rev. Douglas Worthington

Executive Council

elect 1 clergy to serve until 2025

The Rev. Cecelia “CC” Shroeder

elect 1 clergy to serve until 2028

The Rev. Jessie Thompson

elect 1 lay to serve until 2025

Joe Lopez

elect 3 lay to serve until 2028

Misty Brogan

Kate Gould

Karen Sanchez

Standing Committee

elect 1 clergy to serve until 2028

The Rev. Paige Blair Hubert

elect 1 lay to serve until 2028

Gary Gleason

Historiographer and Archivist

to serve until 2028

Cynde Durnford-Branecki

Cathedral Chapter

to serve until 2028

The Rev. Canon Andrew Green

History of convention

Adopted RESOLUTIONS Convention 2023

RESOLUTION 2023-01 

Submitted by the Committee on Constitution and Canons

Name of Resolution: Amendments to Bylaw Article XI

Resolved that the Convention amends and restates Article XI of the bylaws of the diocese to read as follows:

ARTICLE XI Bylaws, Etc.

The Secretary of the Convention shall furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation Board of Directors a certificate of the election of Directors by the Convention, and a copy of these Bylaws, certified by the Secretary of Convention to be correct, and also a certified copy of the resolutions of the Convention providing for the incorporation of the Church, and whenever amendments, alterations or additions shall be made to these Bylaws, the Secretary of the Convention, in which such amendments, alterations or additions are made, shall furnish certified copies thereof to the Secretary of the Corporation. The Secretary of the Corporation shall preserve the same and enter in a book kept by the Secretary for that purpose the said resolutions of the Convection providing for such incorporation, these Bylaws and all amendments, alterations, and additions thereto, and the Articles of Incorporation as filed in the office of the Secretary of State and with the County Clerks of those counties any portion of which lie within the Diocese, respectively, and a certificate to be furnished annually by the Secretary of the Convention of the election of Directors for the ensuing year.

11.1.00  Amended by Majority Vote. The Bylaws may be altered or amended at a Diocesan Convention by an affirmative vote of the majority of those voting.

1.01 Amendments to be Filed 90 Days Previous. No proposed amendment or addition to the Bylaws shall be considered or affirmatively acted upon by any Convention, otherwise than by referring the same to a Committee to report thereon to the succeeding Annual Convention unless a copy of such proposed amendment or addition shall have been filed with the Secretary of the Convention, at least 90 days before the meeting of the Convention.

1.02 Secretary to Deliver Amendments to Committee. The Secretary of the Convention shall deliver copies of all proposed amendments or additions to the Bylaws, filed in accordance with Title V, Canon 1.01, to the Chair of the Committee on Canons, appointed under Title I, Canon 10.08 of these Canons and such Committee shall report thereon on the first day of the Convention. 

EXPLANATION: This resolution lays out procedures for amending the bylaws.

RESOLUTION 2023-02 

Name of Resolution: Internal Controls

Submitted by Finance Committee

RESOLVED that Article IX of the Bylaws of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read:

The Treasurer shall receive and keep all funds and money of the Corporation delivered to the Treasurer by or under the direction of the Board of Directors and pay them out only on checks signed by two signers who have been authorized by the Board through a policy duly authorized by the Executive Council. The Treasurer shall give bonds in such sum and manner as the Board of Directors shall prescribe. The Treasurer shall keep accurate accounts and report quarterly to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall not be an authorized signer on Corporate checking accounts.

EXPLANATION: Checks have long been a primary form of payment.  Unfortunately, check fraud is becoming just as commonplace.  The American Bankers Association found in 2019 that successful check fraud totaled $1.3 billion.  The Association for Financial Professionals found this year that paper checks continue to be the payment method most vulnerable to fraud.  Newer online payment methods result in significantly less fraud than paper checks.  It is anticipated that payment structures will continue to strengthen and emerge over the coming years as technology continues to change.

Rather than prescribing check controls around fraud within the by-laws of the corporation, this amendment moves the internal controls for all payments (not just paper checks) into a policy approved by the Executive Council.  The external auditor reviews the policy every year and reports any shortcomings or weaknesses to the Executive Council.  Such a change allows the diocese to be more flexible in preventing fraud and adopting newer payment methods with more stringent controls.  The policy of the diocese currently requires at least four people to review each transaction:  one (or more, depending on the dollar amount) to approve the bill, one to process the bill and prepare it for payment, and two people to review proposed payment requests.  Another step requires reconciliation of all bank transactions to ensure all disbursements are properly approved and accounted for.  In short, the polict is much more detailed in attempts to provide control over disbursements than the bylaws, and this amendment recognizes that.

This amendment also allows the Treasurer to be a signatory on the bank.  There are times when the diocese recommends that congregation treasurers do not have signature authority, but those cases are limited to environments where there is not adequate staff to properly segregate duties.  The diocese has enough people involved in segregation of duties for receipts and disbursements that adding the Treasurer to the bank poses no more significant risk than the current signers.  Making the treasurer a signatory also gives him or her the authorization to manage the banking relationship.  The treasurer is responsible for managing that relationship, but under our current bylaws all directions from the treasurer require authorization from a signer on the account, complicating the ability of the diocese to do business day to day without any real reduction in risk.

RESOLUTION 2023-03

Name of Resolution: Youth Ministry Seat, Voice, and Vote

Submitted by: Rev. Dr. Brian Johnson

Resolved, that Canon I.4.12 be added to the Constitution and Canons, to read as follows:

The Youth Ministry of the Diocese shall be entitled to five Lay Delegates and two alternates representing separate regions of the Diocese and serving a one-year term. The Bishop shall appoint all Lay Delegates from the Youth Ministry of the Diocese after consultation with The Director of Formation, with full right of seat, voice, and vote.

The Youth Ministry of the Diocese shall mean those communicants in good standing of a Parish or Organized Mission of the Diocese who are at least 14 years of age and no older than 18 years of age.

All Lay Delegates from the Youth Ministry of the Diocese shall be confirmed communicants in good standing of a congregation of the Diocese, at least 14 years of age and no older than 18 years of age, and shall possess such other qualifications as may be required by Canon.

Explanation: Youth are not the church of the future, they are the church now. Full inclusion in the conversations and voting at convention affirms our commitment to provide equity in representation. 

RESOLUTION 2023-04

Title of Resolution: Amendment to Bylaw Article XII

Submitted by the Committee on Constitution and Canons

Resolved that the Convention amends Article XII of the bylaws of the diocese to read as follows:

The principal office for the transaction of the business of the Corporation is located at 2728 Sixth Avenue 2083 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California. The Board of Directors is hereby granted full power and authority to change said principal office from one location to another in the Diocese.

EXPLANATION: This resolution updates the address for the diocesan offices.

RESOLUTION 2023-05

Title of Resolution: Legal Status of Missions

Submitted by the Committee on Constitution and Canons

RESOLVED, that the 50th Convention of the Diocese of San Diego amends the Canons of the Diocese as follows:

Canon II – The Mission

2.05 Effecting of Mission Organization. The organization of a new Mission shall be effected by the appointment by the Bishop of a Senior Warden and a Junior Warden, who shall be communicants of the Church, a Clerk and a Treasurer, such officers to be known as the Bishop’s Committee. Thereafter the Senior Warden shall be appointed annually by the Bishop, and such additional number of persons as the Bishop shall authorize, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Mission to be called on reasonable notice and held as soon after the first day of January as practical. At the discretion of the Bishop the Mission may elect its Bishop’s Committee, with the exception of the Senior Warden, on a rotational basis. The Junior Warden shall be elected in accordance with Title II, Canon 6.00, and the Clerk and Treasurer in accordance with Title II, Canon 6.05. Any qualified elector shall be eligible for election or appointment to such offices, except that the Wardens shall always be communicants.  In special circumstances, the Mission may incorporate at the direction of the Bishop and Standing Committee as provided in Canon II.2.17.

2.06 Organizing of Parochial Mission. The organization of a Parochial Mission shall be effected in the same manner as provided in Title II, Canon 2.05, except that appointments of officers shall be made by the Rector of the sponsoring Parish. Rotation of the Bishop’s Committee may be established with the consent of the Rector of the sponsoring Parish.  In special circumstances, the Mission may incorporate at the direction of the Bishop and Standing Committee as provided in Canon II.2.17.

2.11 Title to Property Vested in the Diocese. Except as otherwise provided by this canon, the terms of the trust specified in a will, decree of distribution, deed of gift or other instrument of donation which shall have been accepted by the donee with the consents of the Bishop and the Standing Committee, the title to real property purchased, given or otherwise acquired for Mission purposes, shall be vested in "The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego," a Corporation, sometimes referred to herein as the "Corporation of the Diocese"; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be deemed to exclude the acquisition of any property the title to which is given and granted to or for the benefit of a specifically named or designated Mission; and title to all such property granted to the Corporation of the Diocese shall be held upon the trusts and with the powers as follows:

a)       Such property shall be held for the use of the Mission for the benefit of which it was acquired, as long as such Mission shall continue to exist under the Canons of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego provided, that upon organization of the Mission it shall make provision for, and pay, all taxes, insurance and other expenses pertaining to the care and preservation of all such property devoted to the use of said Mission.

b)      The officers of a Mission shall not undertake construction or material modification of any structure on real property owned by the Corporation of the Diocese until plans and specifications for such work have first been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or the Committee on Facilities and Architecture to whom the Directors of the Corporation have delegated approval authority.

c)       Notwithstanding paragraph a, if a Mission is or is allowed to remain incorporated under Canon 2.17, real property may be held by the Mission corporation in special circumstances as directed by the Bishop and Standing Committee.

2.13 On Becoming Parish May Hold Property. Whenever the Mission shall have been organized as a parish and admitted into union with the Convention, and shall have been incorporated in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of this Diocese and the laws of the state in which it is located, and normal expenses of the congregation have been met, including any financial obligations prescribed by the Convention, for a period determined by the Bishop and Standing Committee not to exceed of two consecutive years, and all debts and obligations to the Corporation of the Diocese pertaining to its properties have been discharged, the Parish, with the consent of the Bishop and the Standing Committee, may make written request to the said Corporation, which shall convey such real properties to the Parish. Normal expenses include, among other expenses, and subject to the discretion of the Bishop with the advice and consent of the Standing Committee, fair and equitable salary, housing and insurance expenses for the Vicar, and pension fund contributions when applicable, and operating expenses including adequate insurance covering the properties of the Mission. Nothing in this canon shall restrict the Bishop and Standing Committee from directing an incorporated Mission to hold real property under Canon 2.11(c) or 2.17.

2.17 Incorporation of a Mission. In special circumstances determined by the Bishop and Standing Committee, and with the permission of the Bishop and the Standing Committee, a Mission may incorporate or keep its previous incorporation.  Executive Council shall serve as the board of directors of an incorporated Mission congregation, delegating day to day operation of the Mission to the Bishop’s Committee in a manner decided by Executive Council.  Upon direction by the Bishop and Standing Committee to incorporate, a Mission shall incorporate under the laws of the state in which it is located. The Rector of the Mission shall be the Bishop, who shall also be the ex officio Chief Executive Officer of the Mission Corporation’s Board of Directors, and the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws shall so provide.  The Bylaws shall further state that the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church and the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, from time to time in effect, shall be incorporated in said Bylaws; and that in the case of any conflict between said Constitutions and Canons and said Bylaws, the former shall prevail over and in all respects supersede and to that extent effect the repeal of the said Bylaws.  The Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of any Mission, and any amendment to either of them, shall first be submitted to and approved by the Bishop, with the advice of a Chancellor and the advice and consent of the Standing Committee (referenced from Canon 3.07).

Further, an incorporated Mission shall be subject to the canons applicable to the incorporation of parishes in Canons 3.08, 3.09, 3.10, and 3.12.

3.11 Dissolution of a Parish in Order to Become a Mission. Any Parish, incorporated or unincorporated, may request of the Convention, through the Committee on Admission of Parishes and Missions, with the approval of the Bishop and the Standing Committee, permission to dissolve the Parish association or corporation, and reorganize as a Diocesan or Parochial Mission, following the same procedure as for the organization of a Mission. Title to the property of the Parish shall then be transferred to the Corporation of the Diocese or to the sponsoring Parish if incorporated.

2023

Elected to Diocesan POsitions

Secretary of Convention

elected to serve until 2025

Brian Johnson

Disciplinary Board

elected to serve until 2026

Chris Craig-Jones

Katherine Gordon

elected to serve until 2026

James Hansen

Executive Council

elected to serve until 2027

Richard Hogue

elect 2 lay to serve until 2027

Mae Chao

Jamie Glorieux

elect 1 lay to serve until 2026

Lori Thiel

elect 1 lay to serve until 2024

Judy Cater

Standing Committee

elected to serve until 2027

Michael Kilpatrick

elected to serve until 2027

Dennis Landaal

Bishop’s School Trustee

elected to serve until 2026

Mark Hargreaves

Cathedral Chapter Member

elected to serve until 2026

Neil Malmquist