The Acts of Convention

Resolved, That Canon III.15 be amended as follows:

CANON 15 14.

Of Clergy and Their Duties

Sec. 1(a). The control authority and responsibility for the conduct of the worship and the spiritual jurisdiction of the Parish are is vested in the Rector, subject to the Rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer, the Constitution and Canons of the Church, and the godly counsel pastoral direction of the Bishop.

(b). All assistant Clergy of the parish, by whatever name title they may be designated, shall be selected by the Rector, subject to the approval of the Vestry where when required by Diocesan Canons, and shall serve under the authority and direction of the Rector. Prior to Before the selection of any such an assistant the name of the Member of the Clergy proposed for selection shall be made known to the Bishop and sufficient time, not exceeding thirty days, shall be given for the Bishop to communicate with the Parish Rector and Vestry on such the selection. Any such assistant selected shall serve at the discretion of the Rector but may not serve beyond the period of service of the Rector except that, pending the call of a new Rector, such the assistant may continue in the service of the Parish if requested to do so by the Vestry of the Parish and under such conditions as the Bishop and Vestry shall determine.

(c). For the purposes of his the office and for the full and free discharge of all functions and duties pertaining thereto, the Rector shall, at all times, be entitled to the use and control of the Church and Parish buildings with the appurtenances and furniture thereof.

(d). In a Missionary Cure, the control and responsibility belong to the Priest who has been duly appointed to the charge thereof, subject to the authority of the Bishop.

Sec. 2(a). It shall be the duty of the Clergy of this Church who have charge of Parishes or Cures to be diligent in instructing the children in An Outline of the Faith Commonly Called the Catechism, and from time to time to examine them in the same publicly before the congregation. They shall also, by stated catechetical lectures and instruction, inform the youth and others in the Holy Scriptures and the Doctrines, Polity, History, and Liturgy of the Church. They shall also instruct all persons in their Parishes and Cures concerning all the missionary work of the Church at home and abroad, and give suitable opportunities for offerings to maintain that work. in charge of a cure of souls to ensure that children, youth and adults receive instruction in the Holy Scriptures, in the subjects contained in An Outline of the Faith, commonly called the Catechism, and in the doctrine, discipline and worship of this Church, and in the exercise of their ministry as baptized persons.

(b) . It shall be their duty to instruct all persons in their charge concerning Christian stewardship, including:

(1). The reverence for the creation and the right use of God's gifts;

(2). The generous and consistent offering of time, talent, and treasure for the mission and ministry of the Church at home and abroad;

(3). The biblical standard of the tithe for financial stewardship;

(4). The responsibility of all persons to make a will as prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, page 445.

( b c ). It shall be their duty to prepare persons for Baptism. Before baptizing infants or children to they shall prepare the sponsors by instructing both the parents and the Godparents concerning the significance of Holy Baptism, the responsibilities of parents and Godparents for the Christian training of the baptized child, and how these obligations may properly be discharged.

( e d ). It shall be their duty to prepare young persons and others for Confirmation, Reception, and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, and to be ready to present them to the Bishop with a list of their names.

(e) . and On notice being received from of the Bishop's of his intention to visit any church, which notice shall be at least one month before the intended visitation, Congregation the Member of the Clergy shall announce the fact to the Congregation. on the first Sunday after the receipt of such notice, and he shall be ready to present for Confirmation such persons as he shall judge to be qualified, and shall deliver to the Bishop a list of the names of these to be confirmed.(d). At every visitation it shall be their duty and that of the Church Wardens, or Vestry men or of some other officers, to exhibit to the Bishop the Parish Register and to give information to him of on the state of the Congregation, spiritual and temporal, under such heads as shall have been previously signified to them, in writing, by the Bishop in such categories as the Bishop shall have previously requested in writing.

( e f ). The Alms and Contributions, not otherwise specifically designated, at the Administration of the Holy Communion on one Sunday in each calendar month, and other offerings for the poor, shall be deposited with the Member of the Clergy in charge of the Parish or Mission Congregation or with such Church officer as the Member of the Clergy in charge shall be appointed by him appoint, to be applied by him, or under his superintendence, to such pious and charitable uses as shall by him be thought fit by the Member of the Clergy in charge. During a vacancy When a parish is without a Rector the Vestry shall appoint a responsible person to serve as Almoner.

( f g ) Whenever the House of Bishops shall put forth a Pastoral Letter, it shall be the duty of every each Member of the Clergy having a pastoral in charge of a Congregation to read it to his the Congregation on some occasion of public worship on a Lord's Day, or to cause copies of the same to be distributed to the members of his Parish or the Congregation, not later than one month thirty days after the receipt of the same.

( g h ) Where the House of Bishops shall adopt a Position Paper, it may by its own vote require the same procedure for communication of the contents of the Paper to the membership of the Church as is required in the case of a Pastoral Letter as provided in Clause ( g ) above.

Sec. 3(a). It shall be the duty of every each Member of the Clergy in charge of a Congregation of this Church to record in the Parish Register all Baptisms, Confirmations (including the canonical equivalents in Canon I.17.1(d), Marriages and Burials. and the names of all Communicants within his Cure.

(b). The registry of every each Baptism shall be signed by the officiating Member of the Clergy.

(c). Each Every Member of the Clergy of this Church in charge of a Congregation shall have recorded in the Parish Register a list of all persons who have received Holy Baptism, and a list of all communicants, all persons who have received Confirmation (including the canonical equivalents in Canon I.17.1(d)), He shall indicate upon the Parish Register each year the names of these all persons who have died in the past year or whose names and all persons who have been received or whose names have been removed by letter of transfer. He The Member of the Clergy in charge shall also indicate (1) those whose domicile is unknown, and (2) those whose domicile is known but are inactive, and, (3) those families and persons who are within the Congregation, He shall maintain as far as practicable a list of all families and persons within his Cure, which list shall remain in the Parish Congregation for the use of his the successor.

Sec. 4(a) (1) . No Member of the Clergy of this Church shall officiate, either by preaching, reading prayers in public worship, or by perform ing any other priestly or ministerial similar function, in the Parish, or within the Cure, a Congregation of another Member of the Clergy, without the consent of the Member of the Clergy in charge of that Congregation. Parish or Cure, or of one of its Churchwardens If, in his because of the absence or disability of the Member of the Clergy in charge, provision has not been made for the stated services of such Parish or Cure. the Congregation, a Warden may give consent.

(2) . If there be two or more Congregations or Churches in one Cure, as provided by Canon I. 13. 3(b), the consent of the majority of the Clergy in charge of such the Congregations, or of the Bishop, shall be sufficient; Provided, that nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent any Member of the Clergy of this Church from officiating, with the consent of a the Member of the Clergy in charge, in the Church or place of public worship used by the Congregation of such the consenting Member of the Clergy in charge or in private for members of his the Congregation; or in his the absence, the Member of the Clergy in charge, with the consent of the Church Wardens or Trustees of such the Congregation; and Provided further, however, that the license of the Ecclesiastical Authority required in Canon III.17.2 be first obtained first when necessary.

(3) . This rule shall not apply to any Church, Chapel, or Oratory, which is part of the premises of an incorporated institution, created by legislative authority, provided that such a place of worship is designed and set apart for the convenience and uses of such institution, and not as a place for public or parochial worship.

(b). If any Member of the Clergy of this Church, in charge, from disability or any other cause, neglect to perform the regular services in his the Congregation, and refuse, without good cause, his consent to any other duly qualified Member of the Clergy of this Church to perform such services, officiate within his Cure, the Church Wardens, Vestry men, or Trustees of the Congregation shall, on proof before the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese of such neglect or refusal, have power, with the written consent of the said Ecclesiastical Authority, to permit any duly qualified Member of the Clergy of this Church to officiate.

(c). Any Presbyter or Deacon of this Church Member of the Clergy not under presentment and who would be permitted under Canon IV.8. 1 to renounce the exercise of his ordained office, who desires to enter into other than ecclesiastical employment, may declare in writing to the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese in which he the Member of the Clergy is canonically resident his a desire to be released from the obligations of the office and that he desires a desire to be relieved of the exercise of the office to which he was ordained. A Bishop receiving Upon receipt of such a declaration, the Ecclesiastical Authority shall proceed in the same manner as if the declaration were one of renunciation.