Resolution Number: 2015-D013
Title: Amend Canon 1.1.8 [General Convention Expense Budget]
Canon I.1.11 [General Convention Budget]
Canon I.1.13(b) [General Convention Executive Office]
Canon I.2.6 [Presiding Bishop's Stipend]
Canon I.4.6 [Budget for the Episcopal Church]
Joint Rules 10(c) [Jt. Standing Committee on Program, Budget, Finance]
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred as Substituted and Amended
Final Text:

Resolved, That the 78th General Convention recognize the continuing evolution of the roles of the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the life and work of The Episcopal Church is in a time of substantial transition and that the structures of the Church continue to evolve; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize there are increased demands on the time and energy of the President of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the President of the House of Deputies, among other current responsibilities, serves as the Vice-President of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, as the Vice-Chair of the Executive Council, and makes and participates in numerous appointments to positions in The Episcopal Church; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that at the present time, the House of Deputies is of the view that only persons who are retired or who have substantial economic resources are financially able to serve as President of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Deputies considers it important that the House of Deputies be able to choose a President without regard to the financial circumstances of the candidates for the President of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Deputies has affirmed that the desirability of compensation for the President of the House of Deputies is a fairness issue; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention determine that it is important for The Episcopal Church to explore fully and openly the issues of leadership, including compensation for the President of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Bishops understands and appreciates the cogency of, and fairness issues inherent in, the position of the House of Deputies; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention direct that the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies jointly appoint a task force to consider these issues of leadership and compensation and that this task force report its recommendations to the 79th General Convention, including such canonical or other steps needed to implement the recommendations of the task force.

Resolved, That Title I, Canon 4, Sections 6-8, be stricken in their entirety and replaced to read as follows:

Sec. 6. (a) The Executive Council shall submit to the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance the proposed Budget for The Episcopal Church for the ensuing budgetary period, which budgetary period shall be equal to the interval between regular meetings of the General Convention. The proposed Budget shall be submitted not less than four months before the ensuing General Convention is convened.

(b) Revenue to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall be generated primarily by a single assessment of the Dioceses of the Church based on a formula which the General Convention shall adopt as part of its Budget process. If in any year the total anticipated income for Budget support is less than the amount required to support the Budget approved by the General Convention, the canonical portion of the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall have funding priority over any other budget areas subject to any decreases necessary to maintain a balanced Budget.

(c) After the preparation of the Budget, the Treasurer shall, at least four months before the sessions of the General Convention, transmit to the Bishop of each Diocese and to the President of each Province a statement of the existing and the proposed assessment necessary to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church. The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance shall also submit to the General Convention, with the Budget, a plan for the assessments of the respective Dioceses of the sum needed to execute the Budget.

(d) There shall be joint sessions of the two Houses for the presentation of the Budget for The Episcopal Church; and thereafter consideration shall be given and appropriate action taken thereon by the General Convention.

(e) Upon the adoption by the General Convention of a Budget for The Episcopal Church and the planned assessments for the budgetary period, the Council shall formally advise each Diocese of its share of the total assessments to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church.

(f) Full payment of the diocesan assessment shall be required of all Dioceses, effective January 1, 2019.

(g) Effective January 1, 2016 Council shall have the power to grant waivers from the full annual assessments of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention. Any diocese may appeal to Executive Council for a waiver of the assessment, in full or in part, on the basis of financial hardship, a stated plan for working toward full payment, or other reasons as agreed with the Executive Council. Effective January 1, 2019, failure to make full payment or to receive a waiver shall render the diocese ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council.

(h) The Council shall have the power to expend all sums of money covered by the Budget and estimated Budgets approved by the General Convention, subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention, including but not limited to the priority declaration set forth in Section 6(c) of this Canon. It shall also have power to undertake such other work provided for in the Budget approved by the General Convention, or other work under the jurisdiction of the Council, the need for which may have arisen after the action of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council its income will warrant.

(i) In respect of the Budget for The Episcopal Church, the Executive Council shall have the power to consider and vote to make such adjustments therein, or additions thereto, as it shall deem to be necessary or expedient, and which, in its judgment, available funds and anticipated income will warrant subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention. It shall also have power to approve other initiatives proposed by the Chair or otherwise considered by Council, in consultation with the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance, between meetings of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council are prudent and which the Church revenues will be adequate to support.

(j) Each Diocese shall annually report to the Executive Council such financial and other information pertaining to the state of the Church in the Diocese as may be required in a form authorized by Executive Council.

(k) Each Diocese shall report annually to the Executive Council the name and address of each new congregation, and of each congregation closed or removed by reason of any of the following: dissolution of the congregation;

1. removal of the congregation to another Diocese due to cession or retrocession of geographic territory in which the congregation is located, pursuant to Articles V.6 or VI.2 of the Constitution;

2. removal of the congregation to a new physical location or address, identifying both the location or address from which the congregation has removed, and the successor location or address; and

3. merger of the congregation into one or more other congregations, in which case, the Diocese shall include in its report the names of all congregations involved in the merger, and the physical location and address at which the merged congregations shall be located.

Sec. 7 (a) Every Missionary Bishop or, in case of a vacancy, the Bishop in charge of the jurisdiction, receiving aid from the General Convention Budget, shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of work performed, of money received from all sources and disbursed for all purposes, and of the state of the Church in the jurisdiction at the date of such report, all in such form as the Council may prescribe.

(b) The Ecclesiastical Authority of every Diocese receiving aid from the General Convention Budget shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of the work in the diocese supported in whole or in part by that aid.

Sec. 8. The Council, as soon as practicable after the close of each fiscal year, shall cause to be prepared and publish a full report of the work of the Executive Council, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and the General Convention Office to the Church. Such report shall contain an itemized statement of all receipts and disbursements and a statement of all trust funds and other property of The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and of all other trust funds and property in its possession or under its oversight responsibility. The report shall include a detailed schedule of the salaries paid to all officers and principal employees of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive Council.

Citation: General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Salt Lake City, 2015 (New York: General Convention, 2015), pp. 463-466.

Legislative History

Author: The Rev. Susan Brown Snook
Originating House: House of Deputies
Originating Committee: Governance and Structure

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure presented its Report #15 on Resolution D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D013)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention amend the Canons in order to conform the canonical budget process to the current practice of the Church, and be it further,

Resolved, That full payment of the assessments asked of dioceses be made mandatory of each diocese, with an appeal process that allows Executive Council to grant waivers; and be it further

Resolved, That the Canon 1.1.8, Canon I.1.11, Canon I.1.13(b), Canon I.2.6, Canon I.4.6, and Joint Rules of Order of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies 10(c) be amended as follows:

Canon I.1.8

Sec. 8. The General Convention shall adopt, at each regular meeting, a budget to provide for the contingent expenses of the General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the necessary expensesstipend of the President of the House of Deputies together with the necessary expenses of that office, including the staff and Advisory Council required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the President's office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments. To defray the expense of this budget, an assessment shall be levied upon the Dioceses of the Church in accordance with a formula which the Convention shall adopt as part of this Expense Budget. It shall be the duty of each Diocesan Convention to forward to the Treasurer of the General Convention annually, on the first Monday of January, the amount of the assessment levied upon that Diocese.

Canon I.1.11

Sec. 11. The TreasurerJoint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance shall submit to the General Convention at each regular meeting thereof a detailed budget in which the Treasurer proposes to request appropriations for the ensuing budgetary period and. The Chief Financial Officer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, under the direction of the Treasurer and Executive Council, shall have power to expend all sums of money covered by this budget, subject to such provisions of the Canons as shall be applicable.

Canon I.1.13(b)

(b) The Executive Office of the General Convention shall include the functions of the Secretary and the Treasurer of the General Convention and those of the Manager of the General Convention and, if the several positions are filled by different persons, such officers shall serve under the general supervision of the General Convention Executive Officer, who shall also coordinate the work of the Committees, Commissions, Boards and Agencies funded by the General Convention Expense Budget.

Canon I.2.6

Sec. 6. The stipends of the Presiding Bishop and such personal assistants as may be necessary during the Presiding Bishop's term of office for the effective performance of the duties, and the necessary expenses of that office, shall be fixed by the General Convention and shall be provided for in the budget to be submitted by the TreasurerJoint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance, as provided in the Canon entitled, "Of the General Convention."

Canon I.4.6

Sec. 6 (a) The Executive Council shall submit to the General Convention at each regular session thereofthe Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance the proposed Budget for the Episcopal Church for the ensuing budgetary period, which budgetary period shall be equal to the interval between regular meetings of the General Convention. The proposed budget shall be submitted not less than four months before the ensuing General Convention is convened.

(b) The budget proposed for adoption by General Convention shall include a Canonical and corporate portion which shall provide for the contingent expenses of the General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the necessary expenses of the President of the House of Deputies, including the staff and Advisory Council required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the President's office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments, and also the corporate requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society offices.

(c)(b) The budget proposed for adoption by the General Convention shall include provision for support for the Programall expenditures of the Episcopal Church. The program so submitted shall include a detailed budget of that part of the program for which it proposes to make appropriations for the ensuing year, and estimated budgets for the succeeding portion of the budgetary period.

(d)(c) Revenue to support the Budget for the Episcopal Church shall be generated primarily by a single askingassessment of the Dioceses of the church based on a formula which the General Convention shall adopt as part of its Program, Budget, and Finance process. If in any year the total anticipated income for budget support is less than the amount required to support the budget approved by the General Convention, the canonical portion of the Budget for the Episcopal Church shall have funding priority over any other budget areas subject to any decreases necessary to maintain a balanced budget.

(d) Full payment of the diocesan assessment shall be expected of all dioceses. Any diocese may appeal to Executive Council for a Waiver of the required assessment, in full or in part, on the basis of financial hardship, a stated plan for working toward full payment, or other reasons as agreed with Executive Council. Failure to make full payment or to receive a Waiver shall render bishops, clergy, and lay persons from the diocese ineligible for appointment or election to an office in the church-wide structure, and shall render the diocese ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. This provision shall take effect with the 79th General Convention.

(e) After the preparation of the budget the Executive CouncilChief Financial Officer shall, at least four months before the sessions of the General Convention, transmit to the Bishop of each Diocese and to the President of each Province a statement of the existing and the proposed askingsassessment necessary to support the Budget for the Episcopal Church. The Executive CouncilJoint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance shall also submit to the General Convention, with the budget, a plan for the askingsassessments of the respective Dioceses of the sum needed to execute the budget.

(f) There shall be joint sessions of the two Houses for the presentation of the Budget for the Episcopal Church; and thereafter consideration shall be given and appropriate action taken thereon by the General Convention. The Council shall have the power to expend all sums of money covered by the budget and estimated budgets approved by the Convention, subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention, including but not limited to the priority declaration set forth in Section 6(d)(c) of this Canon. It shall also have power to undertake such other work provided for in the budget approved by the General Convention, or other work under the jurisdiction of the Council, the need for which may have arisen after the action of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council its income will warrant.

(g) Upon the adoption by the General Convention of a Budget for the Episcopal Church and the planned askingsassessments for the budgetary period, the Council shall formally advise each Diocese of its share of the total askingsassessments to support the Budget for the Episcopal Church.

(h) Each Diocese shall thereupon notify each Parish and Mission of the amount of the askingsassessments of such Diocese. Each Diocese shall present to each Parish and Mission a total objective which shall include both its share of the proposed Diocesan Budget and its share of the askingassessments of the Diocese by the Executive CouncilJoint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance in accordance with the plan adopted by the General Convention.

(k) In respect of the Budget for the Episcopal Church, the Executive Council shall have the power to consider and vote to make such adjustments therein, or additions thereto, as it shall deem to be necessary or expedient, and which, in its judgment, available funds and anticipated income will warrant; and it shall likewise have the power to grant waivers from the full required annual assessments of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention.

Joint Rules of Order of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies II Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance

10. (c) During the interim between regular Meetings of the General Convention, the Joint Standing Committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the officers of the General Convention and to the Executive Council, holding such meetings as may be deemed necessary for the purpose.

Meetings of the Joint Standing Committee shall be called by the Chair, or upon the request of any five members thereof.

In respect of the Budget for the Episcopal Church, the Joint Standing Committee shall have the power to consider, and either by vote by mail, or in meeting assembled, to make such adjustments therein, or additions thereto, as it shall deem to be necessary or expedient, and which, in its judgment, available funds and anticipated income will warrant; and it shall likewise have the power to adjust the annual askings of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention.

With regard to the General Church Program, the Joint Standing Committee shall:

(i) Meet and consult with the Executive Council, or its Administration and Finance Committee, on adjustments to the program priorities, and on alternate income generating resources;

(ii) Receive from the Executive Council, not less than four months prior to the meeting of General Convention, the proposed General Church Programbudget for the upcoming triennium, including a proposed detailed Budget for the year next following that of such Convention;

(iii) Meet in such places as it shall determine, sufficiently in advance of the next General Convention to expedite its work;

(iv) Conduct hearings upon such proposed Program and Budget; and

(v) Consider such proposed Program and Budget and report thereon to the next succeeding General Convention.

[Ed. Note: Section (b) was incorrectly presented as an amendment to Canon I.4.6(b). It is a proposed amendment to Canon I.1.8. See the House of Bishops' minutes for clarification.]

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Title I, Canon 4, Sections 6-8, be stricken in their entirety and replaced to read as follows:

Sec. 6. (a) The Executive Council shall submit to the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance the proposed Budget for The Episcopal Church for the ensuing budgetary period, which budgetary period shall be equal to the interval between regular meetings of the General Convention. The proposed Budget shall be submitted not less than four months before the ensuing General Convention is convened.

(b) The budget proposed for adoption by General Convention shall include a canonical portion which shall provide for the contingent expenses of the General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the stipend of the President of the House of Deputies together with the necessary expenses of that office, the staff and Advisory Councils required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the Presiding Bishop’s office and the President of the House of Deputies office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments, and also the corporate requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society offices.

(c) Revenue to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall be generated primarily by a single assessment of the Dioceses of the Church based on a formula which the General Convention shall adopt as part of its Budget process. If in any year the total anticipated income for Budget support is less than the amount required to support the Budget approved by the General Convention, the canonical portion of the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall have funding priority over any other budget areas subject to any decreases necessary to maintain a balanced Budget.

(d) After the preparation of the Budget, the Treasurer shall, at least four months before the sessions of the General Convention, transmit to the Bishop of each Diocese and to the President of each Province a statement of the existing and the proposed assessment necessary to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church. The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance shall also submit to the General Convention, with the Budget, a plan for the assessments of the respective Dioceses of the sum needed to execute the Budget.

(e) There shall be joint sessions of the two Houses for the presentation of the Budget for The Episcopal Church; and thereafter consideration shall be given and appropriate action taken thereon by the General Convention.

(f) Upon the adoption by the General Convention of a Budget for The Episcopal Church and the planned assessments for the budgetary period, the Council shall formally advise each Diocese of its share of the total assessments to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church.

(g) Full payment of the diocesan assessment shall be required of all Dioceses.

(h) Council shall have the power to grant waivers from the full required annual assessments of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention. Any diocese may appeal to Executive Council for a waiver of the required assessment, in full or in part, on the basis of financial hardship, a stated plan for working toward full payment, or other reasons as agreed with the Executive Council. Failure to make full payment or to receive a waiver shall render the diocese ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council. This provision shall take effect on January 1, 2019.

(i) The Council shall have the power to expend all sums of money covered by the Budget and estimated Budgets approved by the General Convention, subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention, including but not limited to the priority declaration set forth in Section 6(c) of this Canon. It shall also have power to undertake such other work provided for in the Budget approved by the General Convention, or other work under the jurisdiction of the Council, the need for which may have arisen after the action of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council its income will warrant.

(j) In respect of the Budget for The Episcopal Church, the Executive Council shall have the power to consider and vote to make such adjustments therein, or additions thereto, as it shall deem to be necessary or expedient, and which, in its judgment, available funds and anticipated income will warrant subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention. It shall also have power to approve other initiatives proposed by the Chair or otherwise considered by Council, in consultation with the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance, between meetings of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council are prudent and which the Church revenues will be adequate to support.

(k) Each Diocese shall annually report to the Executive Council such financial and other information pertaining to the state of the Church in the Diocese as may be required in a form authorized by Executive Council.

(l) Each Diocese shall report annually to the Executive Council the name and address of each new congregation, and of each congregation closed or removed by reason of any of the following: dissolution of the congregation;

1. removal of the congregation to another Diocese due to cession or retrocession of geographic territory in which the congregation is located, pursuant to Articles V.6 or VI.2 of the Constitution;

2. removal of the congregation to a new physical location or address, identifying both the location or address from which the congregation has removed, and the successor location or address; and

3. merger of the congregation into one or more other congregations, in which case, the Diocese shall include in its report the names of all congregations involved in the merger, and the physical location and address at which the merged congregations shall be located.

Sec. 7 (a) Every Missionary Bishop or, in case of a vacancy, the Bishop in charge of the jurisdiction, receiving aid from the General Convention Budget, shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of work performed, of money received from all sources and disbursed for all purposes, and of the state of the Church in the jurisdiction at the date of such report, all in such form as the Council may prescribe.

(b) Every Bishop of a Diocese receiving aid from the General Convention Budget shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of the work in the diocese supported in whole or in part by that aid.

Sec. 8. The Council, as soon as practicable after the close of each fiscal year, shall cause to be prepared and publish a full report of the work of the Executive Council, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and the General Convention Office to the Church. Such report shall contain an itemized statement of all receipts and disbursements and a statement of all trust funds and other property of The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and of all other trust funds and property in its possession or under its oversight responsibility. The report shall include a detailed schedule of the salaries paid to all officers and principal employees of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive Council.

Deputy Salter of Florida moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

To amend section 6(h) to read:

(h) Council shall have the power to grant waivers from the full required annual assessments of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention. Any diocese may appeal to Executive Council for a waiver of the required assessment, in full or in part, on the basis of financial hardship, a stated plan for working toward full payment, or other reasons as agreed with the Executive Council. Effective January 1, 2019, Ffailure to make full payment or to receive a waiver shall render the diocese ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council.This provision shall take effect on January 1, 2019.

An electronic vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Ambos of New Jersey moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

To add the following sentence to the end of section 6(b):

The budget shall also include an undesignated amount to be allocated to expenses as to be determined by the General Convention.

An electronic vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Bartle of Central Florida, on behalf of the deputations of Central Florida, Springfield, Albany, and Dallas, called for a Vote by Orders.

Point of Order

Deputy Michie of Dallas stated that the deputation of Dallas did not ask for a Vote by Orders. The President asked the chair of the deputation of Springfield to verify that the lay and clerical orders had called for a Vote by Orders. Deputy Babb of Springfield verified that that was so. The President asked the chair of the deputation of Central Florida to verify that the lay and clerical orders had called for a Vote by Orders. Deputy Bartle of Central Florida verified that that was so. The President asked the chair of the deputation of Albany to verify that the lay and clerical orders had called for a Vote by Orders. Deputy Collum of Albany verified that that was so.

Ballot #1 - Vote by Orders

A Vote by Orders was taken on Resolution D013.

Ballot #1 taken by orders

Results of Ballot #1: Vote By Orders of Resolution D013

The Secretary read the results of Ballot #1.

TypeTotalNecessaryYesNoDividedNo+DividedResult
Lay:10955100909Carried
Clergy:110569710313Carried

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #184)

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Governance and Structure presented its Report #6 on HD Message #184 on Resolution D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church) and moved concurrence.

The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal, Bishop of Southern Ohio, moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Add a new paragraph between the current third and fourth paragraphs. "The establishment of a stipend for the President of the House of Deputies shall be accompanied by the development of a position description and a statement regarding the President's place in the reporting structure."

The Rt. Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, Bishop of Long Island, moved to refer the amendment and entire resolution back to the original committee and the Committee on Constitution and Canons.

Motion carried

Resolution re-referred to a Legislative Committee

Reconsideration of D013

The Rt. Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, Bishop of Long Island, moved to reconsider the motion to re-refer Resolution D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church).

Motion carried

Resolution reconsidered

The Rt. Rev. Robert O'Neill, Bishop of Colorado, moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Amend I.4.6(b) to read:

(b) The budget proposed for adoption by General Convention shall include a canonical portion which shall provide for the contingent expenses of the General Convention<, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the stipend of the President of the House of Deputies together with the necessary expenses of that office, the staff and Advisory Councils required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the Presiding Bishop's office and the President of the House of Deputies office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments, and also the corporate requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society offices.><The stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the necessary expenses of the President of the House of Deputies, including the staff and Advisory Council require to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the President's office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments, and also the corporate requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society offices. The budget shall also include an undesignated amount to be allocated to expenses as to be determined by the General Convention.>

The Rt. Rev. Edward Konieczny, Bishop of Oklahoma, moved an amendment to the amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Following, "The stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office", add "including the staff and advisory council required to assist in the performance of the duties of the Presiding Bishop". Following, "the necessary expenses of the President of the House of Deputies, strike "including the staff and Advisory Council required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the President's office."

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment to the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment to the amendment defeated

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Howard, Bishop of Florida, moved an amendment to the amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Strike the last sentence, "The budget shall also include an undesignated amount..", and add, "The budget shall also include such amounts for expenses as may be determined by the General Convention."

Motion carried

Amendment to the amendment adopted

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A 15-minute recess was called.

The House resumed at 4:20 p.m.

The Presiding Bishop ruled errors in the copy of the resolution and it was sent back to the Secretariat to prepare a clean copy of D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church).

Continuation of Debate on D013

The House resumed debate on Resolution D013.

The Rt. Rev. Martin Field, Bishop of West Missouri, explained there had been an error in the Substitute presented by the Committee on Governance and Structure (Report #15 in the House of Deputies, and Report #6 in the House of Bishops). Paragraph 3 of Substitute Resolution D013 (presented as an amendment to I.4.6(b)) should have been presented as an amendment to Canon I.1.8. A corrected copy of the resolution was issued to members of the House.

Bishop O'Neill withdrew his previous amendment.

The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl, Bishop of Olympia, moved to divide the Resolution between lines 1-15 and 16-109.

Motion carried

Resolution divided

The Rt. Rev. W. Andrew Waldo, Bishop of Upper South Carolina, moved a substitute.

Proposed Substitute:

Substitute language that was considered earlier for lines 1-15.

Motion defeated

Substitute defeated

Vote taken on Part I (lines 1-15)

Part I defeated

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Howard, Bishop of Florida, moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Strike "Each Diocese shall annually report to the Executive Council such financial and other information pertaining to the state of the Church in the Diocese as may be required in a form authorized by Executive Council."

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The Rt. Rev. Granville Porter Taylor, Bishop of Western North Carolina, moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Amend the resolution to read, "Full payment of the diocesan assessment shall be required of all Dioceses effective January 1, 2019."

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas, Bishop of Connecticut, moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

In Section 7(b), delete "Bishop of a".

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church) lines 16-109 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #264)

House of Deputies

Continuation of Debate on Resolution D013

The conference committee presented its report on HB Message #264 on Resolution D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church) and moved adoption with amendment.

Conference Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Title I, Canon I, Section 8, be stricken in entirety and replaced to read as follows:

Sec. 8. The budget proposed for adoption by General Convention shall include a canonical portion which shall provide for the contingent expenses of the General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop together with the necessary expenses of that office, the stipend of the President of the House of Deputies together with the necessary expenses of that office, the staff and Advisory Councils required to assist in the performance of the duties and matters related to the Presiding Bishop’s office and the President of the House of Deputies office, and the applicable Church Pension Fund assessments, and also the corporate requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society offices. The budget shall also include such amounts for the expenses as may be determined by General Convention.

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention recognize the continuing evolution of the roles of the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the life and work of The Episcopal Church is in a time of substantial transition and that the structures of the Church continue to evolve, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize there are increased demands on the time and energy of the President of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the President of the House of Deputies, among other current responsibilities, serves as the Vice-President of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, as the Vice-Chair of the Executive Council, and makes and participates in numerous appointments to positions in The Episcopal Church, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that at the present time, the House of Deputies is of the view that only persons who are retired or who have substantial economic resources are financially able to serve as President of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Deputies considers it important that the House of Deputies be able to choose a President without regard to the financial circumstances of the candidates for the President of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Deputies has affirmed that the desirability of compensation for the President of the House of Deputies is a fairness issue, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention determine that it is important for The Episcopal Church to explore fully and openly the issues of leadership, including compensation for the President of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize that the House of Bishops understands and appreciates the cogency of, and fairness issues inherent in, the position of the House of Deputies, and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention direct that the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies jointly appoint a task force to consider these issues of leadership and compensation and that this task force report its recommendations to the 79th General Convention, including such canonical or other steps needed to implement the recommendations of the task force.; and be it further

Resolved, That Title I, Canon 4, Sections 6-8, be stricken in their entirety and replaced to read as follows:

Sec. 6. (a) The Executive Council shall submit to the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance the proposed Budget for The Episcopal Church for the ensuing budgetary period, which budgetary period shall be equal to the interval between regular meetings of the General Convention. The proposed Budget shall be submitted not less than four months before the ensuing General Convention is convened.

(b) Revenue to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall be generated primarily by a single assessment of the Dioceses of the Church based on a formula which the General Convention shall adopt as part of its Budget process. If in any year the total anticipated income for Budget support is less than the amount required to support the Budget approved by the General Convention, the canonical portion of the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall have funding priority over any other budget areas subject to any decreases necessary to maintain a balanced Budget.

(c) After the preparation of the Budget, the Treasurer shall, at least four months before the sessions of the General Convention, transmit to the Bishop of each Diocese and to the President of each Province a statement of the existing and the proposed assessment necessary to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church. The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance shall also submit to the General Convention, with the Budget, a plan for the assessments of the respective Dioceses of the sum needed to execute the Budget.

(d) There shall be joint sessions of the two Houses for the presentation of the Budget for The Episcopal Church; and thereafter consideration shall be given and appropriate action taken thereon by the General Convention.

(e) Upon the adoption by the General Convention of a Budget for The Episcopal Church and the planned assessments for the budgetary period, the Council shall formally advise each Diocese of its share of the total assessments to support the Budget for The Episcopal Church.

(f) Full payment of the diocesan assessment shall be required of all Dioceseseffective January 1, 2019.

(g) Effective January 1, 2016 Council shall have the power to grant waivers from the full required annual assessments of Dioceses within the limit established by the General Convention. Any diocese may appeal to Executive Council for a waiver of the required assessment, in full or in part, on the basis of financial hardship, a stated plan for working toward full payment, or other reasons as agreed with the Executive Council. Effective January 1, 2019, failure to make full payment or to receive a waiver shall render the diocese ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council.

(h) The Council shall have the power to expend all sums of money covered by the Budget and estimated Budgets approved by the General Convention, subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention, including but not limited to the priority declaration set forth in Section 6(c) of this Canon. It shall also have power to undertake such other work provided for in the Budget approved by the General Convention, or other work under the jurisdiction of the Council, the need for which may have arisen after the action of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council its income will warrant.

(i) In respect of the Budget for The Episcopal Church, the Executive Council shall have the power to consider and vote to make such adjustments therein, or additions thereto, as it shall deem to be necessary or expedient, and which, in its judgment, available funds and anticipated income will warrant subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the General Convention. It shall also have power to approve other initiatives proposed by the Chair or otherwise considered by Council, in consultation with the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance, between meetings of the General Convention, as in the judgment of the Council are prudent and which the Church revenues will be adequate to support.

(j) Each Diocese shall annually report to the Executive Council such financial and other information pertaining to the state of the Church in the Diocese as may be required in a form authorized by Executive Council.

(k) Each Diocese shall report annually to the Executive Council the name and address of each new congregation, and of each congregation closed or removed by reason of any of the following: dissolution of the congregation;

1. removal of the congregation to another Diocese due to cession or retrocession of geographic territory in which the congregation is located, pursuant to Articles V.6 or VI.2 of the Constitution;

2. removal of the congregation to a new physical location or address, identifying both the location or address from which the congregation has removed, and the successor location or address; and

3. merger of the congregation into one or more other congregations, in which case, the Diocese shall include in its report the names of all congregations involved in the merger, and the physical location and address at which the merged congregations shall be located.

Sec. 7 (a) Every Missionary Bishop or, in case of a vacancy, the Bishop in charge of the jurisdiction, receiving aid from the General Convention Budget, shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of work performed, of money received from all sources and disbursed for all purposes, and of the state of the Church in the jurisdiction at the date of such report, all in such form as the Council may prescribe.

(b) The Ecclesiastical Authority of Eevery Bishop of a Diocese receiving aid from the General Convention Budget shall report at the close of each fiscal year to the Council, giving account of the work in the diocese supported in whole or in part by that aid.

Sec. 8. The Council, as soon as practicable after the close of each fiscal year, shall cause to be prepared and publish a full report of the work of the Executive Council, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and the General Convention Office to the Church. Such report shall contain an itemized statement of all receipts and disbursements and a statement of all trust funds and other property of The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, and of all other trust funds and property in its possession or under its oversight responsibility. The report shall include a detailed schedule of the salaries paid to all officers and principal employees of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Executive Council.

The President asked Deputy Johnson of Minnesota, Chair of the conference committee, to identify the bishops who took part in the conference committee. Deputy Johnson stated that the Bishop of Florida, the Bishop of Colorado, and the Bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Bethlehem were the members of the conference committee representing the House of Bishops.

Deputy Payne-Carter of Western New York moved to end debate on the resolution.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

An electronic vote was taken on Resolution D013.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #380)

The President thanked the members of the conference committee. The House expressed its thanks with applause.

Deputy Johnson of Minnesota requested to be excused from the floor to be present in the House of Bishops for the debate on Resolution D013. The President excused the members of the conference committee.

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Governance and Structure presented its Report #22 on HD Message #380 on Resolution D013 (Budget Process for The Episcopal Church) and moved concurrence.

Bishop Rowe presented the report of the Committee on Conference.

Motion carried

The House concurred

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #372)

Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, July 3.

Abstract:   The 78th General Convention amends several Title I canons relating to the preparation and consideration of The Episcopal Church's budget and related structural reforms.
Notes:  

The numbering of the sub-paragraphs in Canon I.4.6(k) is incorrect and should have accommodated the first condition: "dissolution of the congregation;". The numbering was corrected in the official publication of the Canons to include four numbered subparagraphs instead of the three shown here in the final text.

The internal citation reference in paragraph Canon I.4.6(h) to "Section 6(c)" is incorrect. With the approval of the Canons Legislative Review Committee, the citation was changed in the official publication of the Canons to "Section 6(b)".

The Committee was discharged of resolutions C038 and D064 in favor of Resolution 2015-D013.