An Overview of the 192nd Diocesan Convention

Deep Roots, New Growth

Debbie Donaldson, Missioner for Communications

On February 2-4, the 192nd Convention of the Diocese of Alabama gathered at Camp McDowell. This year our convention theme was “Deep Roots, New Growth,” inspired by God’s words to Jeremiah 17:7-8: “Those who trust God, shall be like trees planted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers, never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.”

Delegates began gathering at Camp McDowell late Thursday afternoon. After dinner at Doug Carpenter Hall, a service of Evening Prayer was held in the Chapel of St. Francis. The Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee, who also was our keynote speaker for the convention, gave the homily.

Business Session 1

The first business session began at 9:30am on Friday, February 3, in Doug Carpenter Hall. The session was opened with prayer by Bishop Curry. Music during business sessions and the Eucharist was led by Shaun Pezant and his son, Evan Pezant. Bishop Curry welcomed delegates to the convention, a quorum was determined, and business began.

Bishop Curry thanked the Rev. Scott Arnold, Convention Secretary, and Augusta Dowd, Chancellor for the Diocese of Alabama, for their work at the convention. After voting was held for the adoption of the agenda, order of conduct, and to give seat and voice to the lay members of Council and the non-canonical/licensed clergy who were present, Bishop Curry gave her opening address. Her full remarks are on page 5 of this issue.

This year, instead of showing videos of different ministries during convention, four 15-minute “Growth talks” were spread throughout Friday and Saturday. These short talks included a variety of speakers and reflected on the four areas

Bishop Curry and leadership are focusing on: Leadership Development, Congregational Vitality, Camp McDowell, and Racial Healing.

Following the bishop’s address, the Rev. Canon Kelley Hudlow led Growth Talk 1: Leadership Development. This group included Lauren Jones, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Birmingham - Youth Leadership; Gaige Tittle, Canterbury UNA/ All Saints College Ministry – Leadership in College Ministry; The Rev. Jose Fernandez, Grace Woodlawn – Local Formation for Ordained Ministry.

Afterwards, Bishop Curry spoke about those leaders who are actively training for ordination. Our diocese supports both residential seminarians and AIMS students, which stands for Alabama Integrative Ministry School and is a non-residential course of theological studies for diaconal and priesthood education. AIMS works in partnership with Sewanee and with Bexley-Seabury and other Episcopal seminaries. Bishop Curry then recognized those training for ordination: Richard Alquist, Kristin Blackerby, Lucian Cronkite, Quincy Hall, David Hodnett, Katie Kirk, Jane Major, Sara Olson, Chris Paul, Paul Petznick, Karen Price, Kelton Riley, Jordan Rippy, Bridget Tytler, and Julia Sanford.

Following the introduction of seminarians, Bishop Curry thanked the Deans of our seven convocations for their work: Jeff Evans: St. Stephen’s, Huntsville; Paul Pradat: Christ Church, Tuscaloosa; Rich Webster: St. Luke’s, Birmingham; Candice Frazier: Church of the Ascension, Montgomery; Rob Iller: St. James, Alexander City; Carl Saxton: Holy Comforter, Gadsden; and Robert Fowler: St. Luke’s, Jacksonville.

After a short break with music, diocesan staff were introduced. Delegates from campus ministries and youth representatives were recognized and given full seat, voice, and vote: Campus ministries: Bayley St. Clair (Delegate) and Lizzy Erbach (Alternate) from Canterbury, Tuscaloosa

(Marc Burnette, chaplain); Helen Abele (Delegate) and Andrea Shipley (Alternate) from Birmingham Episcopal Campus Ministries (Emily Collette, chaplain); Jace Nixon (Delegate)- UA Huntsville/Canterbury, Huntsville (Liam Ayres, chaplain); Gaige Tittle (Delegate) and David Marsh (Alternate) from Canterbury UNA (Callie Plunket-Brewton, chaplain), and Lila Meadows (Alternate), from Auburn College Ministries. Youth representatives included Olivia O’Halloran, Nativity, Huntsville, and Lauren Jones, St. Stephen’s, Birmingham. Three worshipping communities were also welcomed: The Abbey Birmingham, St. Martin’s in the Pines Birmingham, and Todos Los Santos, Montgomery.

Bishop Curry then made the announcement of a special visitor at convention: Bishop Henry N. Parsley, 10th Bishop of Alabama. Parsley was warmly welcomed and made brief remarks, and after a standing ovation, posed for photos and greeted friends from years past. His full remarks are on page 18.

The last business of the morning session included an overview of the election process by Hank Poellnitz. Current Standing Committee members were recognized, pre-filed nominations for the committee were named, and then nominations from the floor were accepted for open clergy and lay seats. The same process followed for Disciplinary Board and Diocesan Council.

Chancellor Augusta Dowd made a report on the four pre-filed resolutions, which were to be voted for during the business session on Saturday. Voting was conducted electronically, and convention organizer Chris Lambert was invited to the podium to conduct a practice vote. Delegates were invited to attend a working lunch in the resolution hearing of their choice. Immediately before the afternoon session began, all delegates gathered in the field across from Hall Hall for a group photo.

Keynote Speaker: The Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee

The session opened with a keynote address by The Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee, senior minister of Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, Ontario. He was previously a full professor and the inaugural holder of the Butler Chair in Homiletics and Biblical Hermeneutics at the Vancouver School of Theology in British Columbia. His primary vocation is to reinvigorate today’s church with the best of ancient and contemporary wisdom for creative, faithful living. Byassee used the work of four people in England as the basis of his talk:

- Kate Welch, a superstar in the world of social entrepreneurship.

- Rev. Robert Ward, who started a Pentecostal Anglican church and a program called “Fresh Expressions”, a church designed for those presently in no church at all.

- Rev. Mark Miller, Stockton Parish Church, Stocktonon-Tees, United Kingdom, who sees his calling as one of growing churches and “making disciples who make disciples.”

- Pastor Brian Burke, who helped launch Bethany City Church in Sunderland, United Kingdom.

Rev. Byassee asked delegates to reflect on seven questions:

1. Who is the mighty apostle right under our nose?

2. What’s the mission opportunity we’re missing because it’s almost too easy?

3. What can we learn from what other churches are doing well?

4. What is your church desperate for?

5. If “God speaks to the church by who God sends to the church,” who is God sending, and so what is God saying?

6. Who are the people no one else wants, and how do we go get them?

7. What new thing is God trying to birth in our midst and how do we midwife that?

To hear both of The Rev. Byassee’s addresses and his homily, please scan the QR code at the end of this article. The full text of his Saturday morning address is included on page 20.

The Rev. Canon Geoff Evans then introduced Growth Talk 2: Congregational Vitality. Participants in this group included The Rev. Susan Oakes, St. Peter’s, Talladega; The Rev. Rich Webster, St. Luke’s, Crestline Park; and The Rev. Richelle Thompson-Pridmore, Church of the Resurrection, Rainbow City.

Bishop Curry returned to the podium and recognized lay delegates and alternates who were attending their first Diocesan Convention. She then named and asked new clergy in the diocese to stand. After a short music break, Curry invited Bishop Prior to the podium to conduct Growth Talk

3: Camp McDowell. Whitney Moore-Shae, Interim Executive Director of Camp McDowell, and Olivia O’Halloran, youth representative and summer camp attendee were panel members.

Dinner that night took place in Doug Carpenter Hall, and was followed by Holy Eucharist in the Chapel of St. Francis. The preacher was Rt. Rev. Dr. James Tengatenga, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Global Anglicanism at the School of Theology in Sewanee. Bishop Tengatenga’s sermon can be viewed online by scanning the QR code the end of this article. A group photo of clergy was taken after the service, and then everyone was invited to attend the Folk Music Jam featuring the Whistlebees, and a gathering hosted by St. Thomas, Huntsville.

Saturday, February 4

A busy Saturday morning started off with a Camp McDowell “listening session” led by Bishop Prior. This was the sixth such session held since the new year began, and was well attended. Morning Prayer, led by the youth in the diocese, followed in St. Francis. Lauren Coleman Hornsby, Chair of the Youth Department, preached, and youth participated as readers and musicians. Hornsby’s homily can be found on page 22.

New Clergy Introductions

Emily Rowell Brown – Associate Rector at Christ Church, Tuscaloosa

Donavan Cain – Rector at St. Thomas, Huntsville

Cynthia Carter – Interim Rector at Grace Cullman

Ethan Ferguson – Priest-in-Charge at St. Joseph’s on the Mountain, Mentone

Dillon Green - Associate Rector at St. Matthew’s, Madison

Shari Harrison - Rector at Christ Church, Albertville

Mike Harber – Associate Rector at Holy Trinity, Auburn

Duncan Johnston – Rector at St. John’s, Montgomery

John Kennedy – Deacon at Holy Spirit, Alabaster

Meghan Mazur – Priest-in-Charge at St. Philip’s, Fort Payne

Ally Perry – Rector at Trinity, Wetumpka

Evan Thayer – Rector at Trinity, Demopolis

Barry Vaughn – Priest-in-Charge at St. Matthias, Tuscaloosa

Larry Yarbrough – Interim Rector at Good Shepherd, Montgomery

Election Results

Diocesan Council

Northern District

The Rev. Danielle Thompson (2025)

Mr. Ed Snell (2026)

Middle District

Ms. Marisa Mitchell (2026)

Southern District

Mr. Bill Gamble, Esq. (2026)

Standing Committee

The Rev. Sally Herring (2027)

Ms. Maibeth Porter, Esq. (2027)

Disciplinary Board

The Rev. Susan Oakes (2026)

The Rev. Jay Gardner (1-year term)

Ms. Nancy Ball (2026)

General Convention Delegates

Northern District

The Rev. Shari Harrison

Ms. Patty Whitaker

Middle:

Mr. Bob Boylan

The Rev. Carolyn Foster

Southern:

The Rev. Michael Harber

Ms. Anne Kimzey

At Large:

The Rev. Seth Olson, All Saints, Birmingham

Mr. Richard Norris

Resolutions

Resolution # 1: Operating Budget of the Diocese (Adopted)

Resolution # 2: Camp Budget of the Diocese of Alabama (Adopted)

Resolution # 3 - Conclusion of a Companion Relationship (Adopted)

Resolution # 4 - Communion Forest (Adopted)

For more information about the resolutions please scan this QR code

Rev. Byassee gave his second address immediately following Morning Prayer. His entire address can be found on page 20, and viewed by scanning the QR code at the end of this article. Delegates made their way from the Chapel back to Doug Carpenter Hall, and Bishop Curry dismissed delegates to their caucus elections.

General Session III convened at noon on Saturday. After the opening prayer and song, Bishop G invited Hank Poellnitz back to the stage to lead the convention through the ratification of caucus elections, with Caucus Chairs reporting the results.

Bishop Curry then made her closing address to the convention, with an emphasis on the future and with specific ideas to help our parishes become even more vital and healthy. At the conclusion she introduced Bre Mitchell, who hosted Growth Talk 4: Racial Healing . Members of that panel included Bayley St. Clair, College Ministries: creating pilgrimage programming and trips; Larry Yarborough, Good Shepherd, Montgomery: hosting pilgrimage groups at the parish; and Michael Goldsmith, Nativity, Huntsville: Sacred Ground groups.

Jeff McCormack, outgoing Diocesan Treasurer, then introduced the budget resolution for the diocese and Phyllis Hall, incoming Treasurer, introduced the budget resolution for Camp McDowell. Both resolutions were adopted, and Bishop Curry thanked Jeff for his excellent service as Treasurer of the Diocese for the last three years.

The Rev. Emily Collette introduced Resolution #3, Conclusion of a Companion Relationship with The Diocese of the Virgin Islands, and The Rev. Sarah-Scott Wingo introduced Resolution #4, Communion Forest. Both resolutions were adopted.

Bishop Curry recognized the Rev. John Burruss, Rector of Saint Stephen’s, Birmingham, who expressed his gratitude to the diocese for prayers and other support following the shooting at Saint Stephen’s on June 16, 2022.

Bishop Curry then introduced the staff of Camp McDowell and thanked them for their hard work to make sure convention went well. They were given an enthusiastic standing ovation. She announced that the 193rd Convention of the Diocese of Alabama will be held in Montgomery in February 2024. With all the business of convention completed, Bishop Curry closed the session with a blessing and invited all delegates to join in singing the Doxology.