The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Churchwide Leadership presented its Report #25 on Resolution A146 (Revisions to The Raising Up of Episcopal Leadership - A Manual for Dioceses in Transition) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A146)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 79th General Convention urges that the The Raising Up of Episcopal Leadership - A Manual for Dioceses in Transition (the “Manual”) be revised and updated to reflect the following:

• Best practices for transition process from announcement of transition to incorporation of newly elected bishop into diocesan system
• Resources that provide flexibility for use by both large and small dioceses
• Alternatives to minimize costs of transition process
• Ways to establish a transparent transition process with accountability
• Training for elected diocesan leaders/committee members involved in the transition process
• Suggestions for use of technology including secure internal communications among diocesan committees, secure communications with potential nominees, and secure sharing of reference and background check information
• Means for electronic and other background checks
• Suggestions for use of social media and websites for communicating search profile, status update, and election information
• Expanded reference check resources
• Most current medical and psychological testing
• Expanded background check resources including legal, financial, criminal, vehicular and civil information
• Interviews with current and former bishops with oversight of potential nominees
• Interviews with current and former diocesan Transition Ministers in ministry with potential nominees
• Encourage election procedures that allow time for adequate screening (e.g., discourage nominations from the floor)
• Transition Consultant services
• Discussion of election options/alternatives available to dioceses per canons

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 79th General Convention urges that the The Raising Up of Episcopal Leadership - A Manual for Dioceses in Transition (the “Manual”) be revised and updated to reflect best practices and protocols for the entire transition process the following:

• Best practices for transition process from announcement of transition to incorporation of newly elected bishop into diocesan system
• Resources that provide flexibility for use by both large and small dioceses
• Alternatives to minimize costs of transition process
• Ways to establish a transparent transition process with accountability
• Training for elected diocesan leaders/committee members involved in the transition process
• Suggestions for use of technology including secure internal communications among diocesan committees, secure communications with potential nominees, and secure sharing of reference and background check information
• Means for electronic and other background checks
• Suggestions for use of social media and websites for communicating search profile, status update, and election information
• Expanded reference check resources
• Most current medical and psychological testing
• The evaluation of substance, chemical, and alcohol use and misuse, and assessments of other forms of addiction
• Expanded background check resources including legal, financial, criminal, vehicular and civil information
• Interviews with current and former bishops with oversight of potential nominees
• Interviews with current and former diocesan Transition Ministers in ministry with potential nominees
• Encourage election procedures that allow time for adequate screening (e.g., discourage nominations from the floor)
• Transition Consultant services
• Discussion of election options/alternatives available to dioceses per canons

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #308)