During the Diocese of Maryland's convention, held in downtown Baltimore for the first time since the mid '70s, delegates boarded buses outside their hotel for tours of numerous Episcopal urban ministries, including an entire block of Habitat for Humanity houses, a substance abuse program, a day care center for children of the city's homeless and a Port of Baltimore center devoted to assisting foreign merchant sailors.

Urban ministry was the centerpiece of the April 23-25 gathering, the 214th in the diocese's history. In his convention address, the diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Robert W. Ihloff, said, "it will be absolutely crucial that more of our suburban parishes share their resources and see themselves integrally involved with our urban parishes in performing ministry and mission in the city ... it is so easy, even for people who are actively involved in the life of the wider church, to make the unfortunate assumption that the parish is the primary expression of Christian mission. The parish is the primary way in which you and I tie into the life of that mission, but the parish cannot be synonymous with the mission. This is why the sharing of resources is so crucial within a diocese."

The convention's delegates, representing 118 parish and mission congregations, considered 11 resolutions. Two were controversial. One, calling for health insurance benefits for domestic partners, was referred to the diocesan council because of its monetary implications and because the term "domestic partners" was called unspecific.

The second was concerned with changing canon law to permit deacons to be elected to the standing committee. Opponents argued that men and women called to the diaconate do so with the understanding that their role is servant ministry and not to be considered for the councils of the church. Deacons and others favoring the resolution - which passed - took the view that their devotion and commitment entitled them to such service.

The convention was entertained by children's choirs from two inner-city churches. Delegates and guests attended Evensong and later a celebration of the Holy Eucharist at Old St. Paul's, a city parish dating to 1692, and were introduced to the suffragan bishop-elect, the Rev. John L. Rabb. Fr. Rabb, who preached at the concluding service, announced that his consecration has been scheduled for Oct. 10 at St. James' School near Hagerstown.