Diocesan Organization

2.1 CONVENTION: The Convention of the Diocese meets annually and is vested with the responsibility and authority to establish the programs necessary to carry out the stated purpose of the Diocese, to adopt budgets to fund the programs and to enact such legislation as may be required to conduct diocesan affairs. Each congregation in union with the Convention is represented by its clergy and lay delegates.
2.1.1 Clergy Participation: According to the Diocesan Constitution, clergy who are canonically and actually resident in the Diocese and are actively engage in ministry in this Diocese have seat, voice and vote in the Convention. (See Article V of the Constitution of the Diocese of Oregon.)

2.1.2 Lay Representation: Lay representation (including seat, voice and vote) is set according to the Diocesan Constitution

PLEDGING UNITS	DELEGATES
0- 50	2
51-100	3
101-200	4
201-300	5
301-400	6
401-500	7
501-800	8

(See Article V of the Constitution of the Diocese of Oregon.)

2.2 STANDING COMMITTEE

Members of the Standing Committee (4 clergy and 4 lay persons) are elected by the Diocesan Convention for four-year terms. The duties of the committee are set forth by national canons and include ratification of Episcopal elections, serving as the Ecclesiastical Authority of a diocese in the even there is no bishop in this role, consenting to the enrollment of candidates for holy orders and to ordinations, and serving as Council of Advice to the Bishop.

The Standing Committee must give consent when a congregation or Diocesan Institution takes action that encumbers or alienates property. (See Canon 3.2.4 of the Canons of the Diocese of Oregon.)

2.3 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees of the Diocesan Corporation is composed of the Bishop, the Chancellor, the Secretary of the Diocese, the Treasurer of the Diocese, and three clergy and three lay persons elected by Diocesan Convention for three-year terms. It holds in trust any and all properties of the Diocese and mission congregations, gifts, and bequests, other than those held by parochial or other duly organized corporations of the Diocese.

2.4 DIOCESAN COUNCIL

The Diocesan Council, with the Bishop as chair, has oversight of the missionary, educational, and social programs of the Diocese as determined by the Convention, and implemented through departments, commissions, and committees (See Appendix 8.1 for list), and by the Bishop and the Bishop’s staff. Members of the Diocesan Council are elected by the Convention (six clergy and six lay persons for three-year terms), and by the Convocations (seven clergy and seven lay persons for one-year terms). Those elected by the Convocations are confirmed by the Convention.

The Diocesan Council is responsible for setting diocesan goals, developing programs, and preparing a proposed budget to fund those programs and all other expenses of the Diocese.

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2.5 CONVOCATIONS

The Convocations are the seven regional subdivisions of the Diocese, created to facilitate close communication among local congregations and support effective regional ministry. The Convocations are Central, Columbia, Metro East, South Coast, Southern, Sunset, and Willamette. Each congregation is a member of the Convocation in which it is located and is represented by its clergy and elected representatives to Convocation. These elected representatives to Convocation are the same persons as are elected to serve as delegates to Diocesan Convention and are elected for one-year terms.

The Dean of each Convocation is a member of the clergy appointed annually by the Bishop at Convention. The President of each Convocation is a lay person who is elected annually at the Convocation meeting in March.

Convocations meet several times during the year and must meet no later than 30 days before Diocesan Convention to consider proposed program and budget, and to select one clergy and one lay person to represent the Convocation on the Diocesan Council. (The selection of these persons is confirmed by the Convention.)

Convocations have the authority and responsibility to participate in the development of the Diocesan Program and Budget for the coming year by considering and evaluating program and budget priorities in the spring and by considering and evaluating the proposed budget previously approved by Diocesan Council in the fall. (See Section 7.4 for a description of this process.)

2.6 MINISTRY OF CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (MCD)

The Ministry of Congregational Development (currently known as “Church Growth and Development”), is established by diocesan canon, and is responsible to the Bishop and Diocesan Council. (See Canon 3.3.4. (a) of the Canons of the Diocese of Oregon.) In consultation with and acting as a Council of Advice to the Bishop, the MCD has oversight of the pastoral management and long range planning development of Mission Congregations in the Diocese. MCD responsibilities include

Nurturing, affirming, and serving as advocate for the ministry development programs of each mission congregation
Encouraging good stewardship of resources on the diocesan and local level to further the mission of the church, and
Working with other diocesan ministries, including the Commission on Ministry, and with Convocations to coordinate ministry development, congregational growth and renewal, and diocesan program.

More specific details of MCD’s responsibilities and membership, and the role of the Bishop are described in Section 3.4 “Ministry and Governance”.

2.7 MISSION CONGREGATIONS

A mission congregation is an unincorporated unit within the Diocese which exists as an extension of the missionary work of the Diocese in accordance with the Constitution, Canons, Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Episcopal Church, and in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Oregon.

Mission congregations which are not able to fund all their required expenses for operations and ministry may look to the Diocese through the Ministry of Congregational Development for aid.

The Bishop’s Advisory Committee (BAC) is the mission congregation’s counterpart to the vestry of a parish. The BAC manages the temporal affairs of the congregation subject to limitations of civil and canon law. The BAC is responsible for advising the Bishop and the vicar in setting goals, developing programs, developing and overseeing budget and finances, and maintaining the buildings and properties of the congregation.

The Bishop is the rector of all mission congregations. He appoints the vicar, who in turn is the presiding officer and a member of the BAC. The general practice of this Diocese is for the mission congregations to follow the diocesan search process when seeking Vicars. (See section 5.1).

The Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and the other elected persons are the other members of the BAC. The BAC is authorized to fill any vacancies which may occur during the year. (See Section 3.3, “Governance of the Congregation” for further information.)

The number of BAC members shall not be less than five (5) nor more than twelve (12). Any mission may avail itself of the provisions for parishes in Canon 6.7.4 which describes the alternatives for election of parish vestries. (See Appendix 8.2.2 and the Canons of the Diocese of Oregon.)

To be eligible for election, BAC candidates must be lay persons, 18 years of age or older, who are qualified to vote at the Annual Meeting. A majority of the BAC must be confirmed communicants in good standing. The MCD strongly recommends that candidates make a commitment to

1) Attend all meetings of the BAC and notify the wardens if unable to attend

2) Attend both the Church Leaders Workshop offered periodically by the Diocese and the Mission Planning Retreat (typically an overnight gathering on a weekend) for BAC and vestry members

3) Make at least one call on a member of the congregation each month.

The BAC elects the delegates to Diocesan Convention and certifies them to the Secretary of the Convention at least sixty days before the Convention. These delegates also serve as representatives of the congregation to the Convocation in which the congregation is located.

2.8 PARISH CONGREGATIONS

A parish congregation is a corporate unit within the Diocesan which exists in accordance with the Constitution, Canons, Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Episcopal Church, and in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Oregon.

A parish is self-supporting and has the right to elect its rector after consultation with the Bishop. The rector is president of the parish corporation and presiding officer of the Vestry.

The Vestry (or chapter of the Cathedral) is the board of directors of the parish corporation, responsible for the management of the temporal affairs of the congregation, subject to limitations of civil and canon law.

Each parish is managed in accordance with its bylaws which establish procedures and practices for electing members of the Vestry, conducting the Annual Meeting, and attending to the general business affairs of the parish. (See Section 3.3, “Governance of the Congregation” and Appendix 8.2.1 for further information on bylaws.) (See Section 3.3 Governance of the Congregations and Appendix 8.2.1 for Bylaws.)