The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(A235)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That any diocese of this Church seeking to withdraw from this jurisdiction of the Anglican Communion in order to form or join an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion under the authority of Title I, Canon 11, section 3(f) shall be subject to the following requirements, effective August 1, 1991:

1. Notice of such intention shall be given to the General Convention, after having been approved through the normal decision-making process of the diocese or dioceses. Such intention shall be sent to the Secretary of the General Convention at least one year prior to the next General Convention for distribution to:
   The Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church,
   The Standing Commission on World Mission,
   The Office of the Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church,
   The Executive for World Mission.
2. There shall be a trial period for the functioning of the proposed province of no less than six (6) years. The purpose of the trial period is to allow the dioceses constituting the proposed province to develop and put in place the necessary structures and programs for its operation and begin to experience the functioning of said programs and structures.
3. During the trial period or periods, the Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive for World Mission shall provide the necessary technical support to assist the proposed province to institute the following procedures:
   a. The proposed province shall report each eighteen (18) months on progress towards provincial status during the trial period. These reports shall be made to the Secretary of the General Convention for distribution as indicated in Point #1.
   b. The proposed province shall establish appropriate structures (such as a constitution and canons and Prayer Book) and other structures for decision-making appropriate to the culture and conditions of the jurisdiction.
   c. The proposed province shall establish accounting, reporting, and internal control procedures necessary to manage and safeguard the funds of the proposed province and dioceses, including audits and reviews, as necessary, to insure the normal checks and balances. These are to be reported to the Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society in acceptable form so long as fifty percent (50%) or more of the funding of the province and its dioceses is provided by the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.
   d. The proposed province shall present a plan for the establishment of an adequate pension fund for clergy and lay employees of the proposed province.
   e. (i). There shall be established a covenant committee representing the proposed province and including three members of PECUSA appointed by the Presiding Bishop. The purpose of the covenant committee is to establish and monitor the continuing relationship between the proposed province and PECUSA, including a five-year program and budget projection.
   (ii). The covenant agreement between PECUSA and the proposed province needs to be ratified by each separating diocese of the Episcopal Church.
   (iii). The appropriate bodies of PECUSA and the new province shall affirm the covenant agreement.
4. The Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive for World Mission shall report from the covenant committee to the Standing Commissions on Structure and World Mission and the Executive Council, the estimated amount and duration of financial support to be required for the proposed province.
5. Prior to approval of the General Convention for dioceses to separate from PECUSA, the dioceses shall prepare and submit a final report one year before the General Convention, to the Secretary of Convention, for distribution to: the Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, the Executive for World Mission, and the General Convention structure committees of the House of Bishops and of the House of Deputies. The Treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive for World Mission will give assurances to the General Convention structure committees of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies that the procedures stated in item 3(a-e) have been fulfilled.
6. The Secretary of the General Convention shall have reported the entire process to the Anglican Consultative Council.
7. In the event that the initial request is from one or more dioceses seeking to become part of an existing province, the principles of 3(e) shall apply. The General Convention may act on the matter at its first meeting following receipt of the initial request and the covenant agreement.
8. In either instance, recommendations from the Standing Commission on Structure and the Standing Commission on World Mission to the General Convention shall be one of the following:
   a. The request shall be granted.
   b. Extension of the trial period to be granted for no more than one additional period of three years.
   c. The request not be granted at this time.
   

Proposed Committee Amendment:

In the first Resolved, paragraph 2, following the words "proposed province of no less than," strike the words "six (6) years" and replace with the words "two succeeding General Conventions."

In the first Resolved, paragraph 8, item 2., following the words "trial period," strike the word "to" and replace with the word "may," and following "be granted," strike the remainder of the sentence.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #54)