The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Congregational Vitality presented its Report #9 on Resolution D005 (Creating a Capacity to Plant Churches) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D005)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention create a church-wide network for church planting that will include: establishing seminary faculty focusing on church planting, recruitment of up to 50 potential church planters this triennium; training of potential church planters including sending some planters to training conferences and providing church planting internships for some planters; providing grants to support up to fifty new church plants this triennium; and creating the capacity to continue to recruit and train fifty new church planters each triennium while supporting up to 50 new church plants each triennium, and be it further

Resolved, That the budget for creating this church-planting network will be $8,433,800 million to be allocated as follows:

$900,000 for the creation of three seminary faculty positions ($300,000 per year);

$100,000 for the development of a church planting training program;

$90,000 for the recruitment of church planters ($30,000 per year);

$1,093,800 for training of potential of potential church planters;

$1,000,000 for the development and implementation of a program to train bilingual/bi-cultural lay and ordained leaders for Latino/Hispanic ministries;

$750,000 for staff to support this program;

$4,500,000 for grants to support up to fifty new church plants, with the size of grant depending on the context and needs of the church plant; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church Development Office is directed to prioritize raising funds for church planting, with the expectation that $2 million will be raised this triennium to support church planting and a network of donors interested in church planting will be developed to raise up to $5 million each year in future trienniums; and be it further

Resolved, That Dioceses receiving new church plants under this program will contribute a minimum of 20% of the costs of any new plants in their Diocese; and be it further

Resolved, That the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies appoint a task force of not more than twelve people, consisting of those with experience in church planting, diocesan oversight of church planting, and academics working with evangelism and mission, to carry out the provisions of this resolution, including developing criteria for receiving grants, providing a reporting process, making recommendations to Executive Council about grants to be awarded, helping to select potential church planters, and developing a network of coaches and internship sites, and that this task force shall include a number of people experienced in the ministry of planting churches; and be it further

Resolved, That the Communications Office be directed to make a priority of reporting on the stories of church plants on an ongoing basis, through news stories, video, and other means, and through developing a website that provides detailed information about the various church plant initiatives happening throughout the church; and be it further

Resolved, That the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $6,433,800 for the implementation of this resolution.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention create a church-wide network for planting congregations, training and recruiting planters; and establishing new congregations each triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the budget for creating this congregational network will be $5,000,000 to be allocated as follows:

$200,000 to identify and support existing programs to produce training in planting congregations for clergy and lay leaders

$600,000 to provide resources for planters of congregations

$1,000,000 for the development and implementation of a program to train bilingual/bi-cultural lay and ordained leaders for Latino/Hispanic ministries

$500,000 to support a staff person to oversee the planting network

$2,700,000 for grants to support up to 30 congregations with the size and grant depending on the context and need of the congregation; and be it further

Resolved, That the convention encourages the Episcopal Church Development Office to prioritize raising $5 million per triennium to plant new congregations, with the hope that a network of interested donors will be developed; and be it further

Resolved, That Dioceses receiving money for planting new congregations under this program will contribute a minimum of 20% of the costs of any new plants; and be it further

Resolved, the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies appoint an advisory group of not more that twelve people, consisting of those with experience in planting congregations, diocesan oversight of such work, and academics working with evangelism and mission, to carry out provisions of this resolution, including developing criteria for receiving grants, providing a reporting process, making recommendations to Executive Council about grants to be awarded, helping to identify potential planters, and developing a network of coaches and internship sites; and be it further

Resolved, That the Communications Office be directed to make a priority of reporting on the stories of plants of new congregations on an ongoing basis through news media, video, and other means, and through developing a website that provides detailed information about the various planting initiatives happening throughout the church; and be it further

Resolved, That the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $5,000,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

Point of Order

Deputy Fromberg of California pointed out a typographical error in the fifth Resolve, where the word "that" should be "than." The President moved that the change be accepted.

Motion carried

A vote was taken on the resolution.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #110)