The Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel III, Bishop of East Carolina, bypassed the traditional format when the convention of his diocese met Feb. 8-10 in New Bern, N.C. Delegates and guests were taken on a video journey across the diocese, lifting up the vital ministry taking place in churches both large and small, new and old.

Convention opened with a nearly two-hour hymn sing led by Horace Boyer, editor of the hymnal Lift Every Voice and Sing. Mr. Boyer led delegates on a musical history tour of black spirituals and gospel music in his teaching session and added music to the convention worship services. The use of contemporary music and the video projected on a 15-foot screen were symbolic of Bishop Daniel's desire to change the mindset of the diocese.

During his video presentation, Bishop Daniel told the story of St. Andrew's by-the-Sea, Nags Head, on the Outer Banks, which held six services and distributed 1,200 communions last Easter. The parish is about to break ground on a new church that will seat more than 400 people. Another highlight of the video journey was the new church being built on Bogue Banks and a new church plant in New Bern. The diocese's foundation has set aside money for three new church plants over the next three years.

At the end of the video, the bishop challenged each parish to find new ways to reach out immediately to the unchurched; to make their worship transforming and renewing through the power of the Holy Spirit; to practice radical hospitality with newcomers; and for each person to exercise his or her call as an evangelist.

There was very little debate on the sexuality issues. Deputies spent only about five minutes on debate before rejecting one resolution on Christian marriage and approving another. The most passionate hearing was on the diocesan budget and the fact that about $500,000 had to be trimmed from budget requests in order to bring expenditures in line with income.

Convention endorsed Bishop Daniel's missionary call in part by passing a $2.3 million budget, which includes funding a new director of mission and development.

Convention also received an update on the misappropriation of about $80,000 which was discovered during a routine diocesan audit in September. A former employee, Judy Covington, who left the diocese shortly before the discrepancy was uncovered, was indicted by a grand jury Feb. 19. The case had been turned over to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Either through restitution or through an insurance claim, the diocese expects to recover the principle, additional fees and interest, Bishop Daniel said.