Resolution Number: 2012-A073
Title: Establish Diocesan Mission Enterprise Zones
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred as Amended
Final Text:

Resolved, That the 77th General Convention establish the Mission Enterprise Fund, to be administered by a grants committee for that purpose established by the Executive Council, with $1 million for the 2013–2015 triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That Diocesan Standing Committees and Bishops partner to create "Mission Enterprise Zones," defined as a geographic area, as a group of congregations or as an entire diocese committed to mission and evangelism that engages under-represented groups, including youth and young adults, people of color, poor and working-class people, people with a high-school diploma or less, and/or people with little or no church background or involvement; and be it further

Resolved, That a Diocese may apply for a matching grant of up to $20,000 from the Mission Enterprise Fund, to facilitate the development of the Mission Enterprise Zone; and be it further

Resolved, That congregational leaders in Mission Enterprise Zones participate in trainings around anti-racism, cross-cultural community development, and ministry development and evangelism, in order to gain the skills to effectively build relationships with groups currently under-represented in The Episcopal Church but growing throughout our domestic mission field; and be it further

Resolved, That each Mission Enterprise Zone feature a strategic plan to start or redevelop a congregation that is intentionally multi-cultural, incorporating the presence and leadership of under-represented generations, socio-economic groups, races, ethnicities and/or languages; and be it further

Resolved, That for the period between the 77th and 78th General Conventions, these enterprise zones be created and be granted greater freedom as authorized by the Bishop in consultation with diocesan leadership regarding the designation of "congregation" status, traditional formation for and use of ordained leadership, and the use of authorized texts for principle worship gatherings; and be it further

Resolved, That diocesan leaders report to the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church the results of their efforts, including a description of the Mission Enterprise Zone and the process for creating the zone, the number and nature of new faith communities created, the number and demographic profiles of people associated with these communities, and the ministries established within the zone; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church compile and reflect on these accounts and use them to fulfill the request of the Executive Council to help the Church "create a canonical process to incorporate new faith community models into our existing structures" by the 78th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 77th General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $1,000,000 to implement this resolution during the 2013–2015 triennium.

Citation: General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, 2012 (New York: General Convention, 2012), pp. 113-114.

Legislative History

Author: Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church
Originating House: House of Deputies
Originating Committee: Evangelism

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Evangelism presented its Report #3 on Resolution A073 (Establish Diocesan Mission Enterprise Zones) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution

(A073)

Resolved, The House of Bishops concurring, that the 77th General Convention establish the Mission Enterprise Fund, to be administered by the Executive Council Standing Committee on Local Ministry and Mission, with $1 million for the 2013–2015 triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That Diocesan Standing Committees and Bishops partner to create "Mission Enterprise Zones," defined as a geographic area, as a group of congregations or as an entire diocese committed to mission and evangelism that engages under-represented groups, including young people, people of color, poor and working-class people, people with a high-school diploma or less, and/or people with little or no church background or involvement; and be it further

Resolved, That a Diocese may apply for a matching grant of up to $20,000 from the Mission Enterprise Fund, to facilitate the development of the Mission Enterprise Zone; and be it further

Resolved, That congregational leaders in Mission Enterprise Zones participate in trainings around anti-racism, cross-cultural community development, and ministry development and evangelism, in order to gain the skills to effectively build relationships with groups currently under-represented in The Episcopal Church but growing throughout our domestic mission field; and be it further

Resolved, That each Mission Enterprise Zone feature a strategic plan to start or redevelop a congregation that is intentionally multi-cultural, incorporating the presence and leadership of under-represented generations, socio-economic groups, races, ethnicities and/or languages; and be it further

Resolved, That for the period between the 77th and 78th General Conventions, these enterprise zones be created and be granted greater freedom as authorized by the Bishop in consultation with diocesan leadership regarding the designation of "congregation" status, traditional formation for and use of ordained leadership, and the use of authorized texts for principle worship gatherings; and be it further

Resolved, That diocesan leaders report to the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church the results of their efforts, including a description of the Mission Enterprise Zone and the process for creating the zone, the number and nature of new faith communities created, the number and demographic profiles of people associated with these communities, and the ministries established within the zone; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church compile and reflect on these accounts and use them to fulfill the request of the Executive Council to help the Church "create a canonical process to incorporate new faith community models into our existing structures" by the 78th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 77th General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $1,000,000 to implement this resolution during the 2013–2015 triennium.

Committee Amendment

Resolved, The House of Bishops concurring, that the 77th General Convention establish the Mission Enterprise Fund, to be administered by the Executive Council Standing Committee on Local Ministry and Mission by a grants committee for that purpose established by the Executive Council, with $1 million for the 2013–2015 triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That Diocesan Standing Committees and Bishops partner to create "Mission Enterprise Zones," defined as a geographic area, as a group of congregations or as an entire diocese committed to mission and evangelism that engages under-represented groups, including young people, people of color, poor and working-class people, people with a high-school diploma or less, and/or people with little or no church background or involvement; and be it further

Resolved, That a Diocese may apply for a matching grant of up to $20,000 from the Mission Enterprise Fund, to facilitate the development of the Mission Enterprise Zone; and be it further

Resolved, That congregational leaders in Mission Enterprise Zones participate in trainings around anti-racism, cross-cultural community development, and ministry development and evangelism, in order to gain the skills to effectively build relationships with groups currently under-represented in The Episcopal Church but growing throughout our domestic mission field; and be it further

Resolved, That each Mission Enterprise Zone feature a strategic plan to start or redevelop a congregation that is intentionally multi-cultural, incorporating the presence and leadership of under-represented generations, socio-economic groups, races, ethnicities and/or languages; and be it further

Resolved, That for the period between the 77th and 78th General Conventions, these enterprise zones be created and be granted greater freedom as authorized by the Bishop in consultation with diocesan leadership regarding the designation of "congregation" status, traditional formation for and use of ordained leadership, and the use of authorized texts for principle worship gatherings; and be it further

Resolved, That diocesan leaders report to the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church the results of their efforts, including a description of the Mission Enterprise Zone and the process for creating the zone, the number and nature of new faith communities created, the number and demographic profiles of people associated with these communities, and the ministries established within the zone; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church compile and reflect on these accounts and use them to fulfill the request of the Executive Council to help the Church "create a canonical process to incorporate new faith community models into our existing structures" by the 78th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 77th General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $1,000,000 to implement this resolution during the 2013–2015 triennium.

Deputy Clifton of Michigan moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment

Substitute “youth and young adults” for the words “young people”.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

A vote was taken on Resolution A073 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #34)

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Evangelism presented its Report #1 on HD Message #34 on Resolution A073 (Establish Diocesan Mission Enterprise Zones) and moved concurrence.

The Bishop of Puerto Rico moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment

Add “Hispanics” after “people of color.”

The Bishop of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe moved an amendment to the amendment.

Proposed Amendment

Add “and other non-anglophones” after “Hispanics” at line 9.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

A vote was taken on the a Puerto Rico amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Bishop Roskam moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment

On line 8 add the words “but not limited to” and insert it after the word “included.”

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on Resolution A073.

Motion carried

The House concurred

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #52)

Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, July 7.

Report Reference:   Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of The Episcopal Church, Reports to the 77th General Convention, 2012, pp. 497-510.
Abstract:   The 77th General Convention establishes and funds Mission Enterprise Zones as a way to engage dioceses in building relationships with underrepresented groups or supporting multicultural congregations, and report their results to the Standing Commission on the Mission and Evangelism of the Episcopal Church for creating a canonical process to incorporate new faith community models into existing Church structures.