Diocesan Convention updates and reminders

Excitement is building as diocesan convention approaches. A new provisional bishop will be elected and seated, farewells will be said to Bishop Wallis Ohl, a deacon will be ordained, the reorganization of the diocese will continue with canonical changes, a gorgeous quilt will be raffled off, and laypeople and clergy will be elected to various governing bodies of the diocese.

And everyone will have a chance to tell their part of the story of our recent reorganization to the diocesan historiographer.

All this happens at the 30th Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, November 2-3, 2012, in the Student Center at Tarleton State University in Stephenville. The Southern Deanery is the host.

Plan to arrive shortly after noon on Friday, as events begin at 1 p.m. with an update on plans for reunion and reconciliation. That will be followed by the opening business session. Henry Penner of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Keller, will be ordained a deacon during the opening part of Eucharist that afternoon.

Friday night, convention goers will be entertained by the Immediate Blues Band of Stephenville. Kurt Johnson, who plays keyboard, is a member of St. Luke’s, Stephenville.

The new provisional bishop will give the keynote address following dinner.

QUILT
Sandy Shockley of St. Mary’s, Hamilton, will have an exhibit about our companion Diocese of South Dakota. She will be offering a chance to win a beautiful quilt made by the women of the diocese. All proceeds will go to our companion diocese. Last year’s proceeds helped purchase a new sign for the diocesan camp. The drawing for the quilt will be at diocesan convention.

OUR STORY, OURSELVES
Karen Shepherd, diocesan historiographer, will be set up with a video camera to record as many stories of our recent history as possible. Plan to stop by her improvised studio so she can record your part of our history.

LOGISTICS
As always, the convention is open to anyone who is interested in addition to the clergy and lay delegates. As was the case last year, delegates and visitors will be seated in the same area. All legislative business, worship and other activities will take place in the same large room.

Delegates, visitors and exhibitors all register through the diocesan website. If you pay online, remember you have to click twice, once to “submit” your registration information, and again on the PayPal button to make your payment.

PARKING
The good folks at St. Luke’s in Stephenville have taken steps to make sure people attending diocesan convention have plenty of places to park on the Tarleton State University campus. There will be signs indicating specific parking lots as well as helpful people ready to answer questions.

View a map of the Tarleton Campus.

In addition to P-23 on the map, convention goers also can park in the purple section (commuter lot) P-36. There are handicap parking spaces in P-27 (yellow on map), as well as P-36.

On Saturday, Lot P-15 will also be available.

You also can download and print a parking pass <dated pass removed> to allow parking near the Student Center. The Student Center is completely accessible.

HOTELS
If you haven’t done so already, make your room reservations for Friday night.

Hotel information is also on the diocesan website <removed>.

AGENDA

Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
30th Diocesan Convention
Thompson Student Center – Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Texas
November 2-3, 2012

Friday November 2

Saturday November 3