A uneasy silence descended momentarily over diocesan synod Oct. 19 when the Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman, SSC, announced his retirement as Bishop of Quincy. A sigh of relief from those gathered followed quickly when he announced that in the future he would serve as a missionary bishop.

The bishop's play on words served to rivet his audience's attention for the remainder of the annual gathering as he sought to focus on the stated theme of congregational redevelopment. In support of efforts at rebuilding, clergy and lay delegates adopted a resolution calling on parishes to make use of material in a book by Christian A. Schwarz titled Natural Church Development: Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches. The book is based on extensive field research of what successful churches have in common.

In what is perhaps an unprecedented unanimous vote, convention also passed a resolution decreasing diocesan representation to General Convention from four clergy and four laity to two of each. In recommending passage, synod was encouraged to view the measure as an act of responsible stewardship. Another resolution which would have reduced the diocesan pledge to the national church to $1 was resoundingly defeated.

In other business, synod approved a budget for 2002 of $363,700. The amount represents a decrease of $1,741 from the previous year.