Nevada may be the first diocese in the country to have voting youth members on its diocesan council, announced diocesan chancellor Gary Fuller at the diocesan convention, Oct. 17-19 in Carson City.

The convention approved changes in the diocesan canons to provide for four voting youth members, aged 13-19, to be added to the council, and then elected four youths to the position.

Mr. Fuller noted that he had checked with chancellors in other dioceses for help in drafting canons to provide for the young members, and learned that no other dioceses had taken steps to create such a position. He noted that because of Nevada law, the youth diocesan council members under the age of 18 will not be able to vote on matters affecting property or contracts.

"We will be the first diocese in the country" to have voting youth members on council, he told the convention. Diocesan Bishop Stewart Zabriskie presided and preached at the convention.

Convention delegates were also able to take advantage of low-cost flu shots administered by volunteer parish nurses in a program beginning within the diocese.

A budget of approximately $556,000 was approved, which compares with $654,000 in 1996.

Delegates learned that loss of an Episcopal Commission on Indian Ministry grant will lead to the elimination next year of a priest's position at Nixon and Wadsworth serving the Paiute reservation adjacent to Pyramid Lake. The Episcopal Church has been on the reservation for 102 years.

Dick Snyder