The 210th convention of the Diocese of Rhode Island met in St. Luke's Church, East Greenwich, Oct. 21. The convention marked a change point in Rhode Island's visioning and long-range planning.

Featured speaker at the opening service of Holy Eucharist, Friday night at St. John's Cathedral, Providence, was Sandra Swan, executive director of Episcopal Relief and Development. Ms. Swan spoke of her agency's healing and rebuilding initiatives, highlighting its sponsorship of a new community for refugees of last year's hurricanes in Latin America.

Saturday's deliberations began with a presentation by Jean Douglass, a teenager representing Happening, a weekend experience for teaching and enlivening the faith of high schoolers. Ms. Douglass's enthusiasm was followed by a panel of members of Rhode Island's Mission Strategy Task Force. The task force presented its final report, beginning with a "strategic direction": "that the diocese work with all its resources to strengthen its churches in their work of creating and sustaining disciples of Jesus Christ."

The task force was concerned that the diocese celebrate the 50 percent of congregations that are thriving, providing resources for the 25 percent that are static, and re-energizing declining parishes. "The decision to close any church belongs solely to its congregation," the task force reported. Other concerns included ministry to the increasing Spanish-speaking population of Rhode Island, conversion of inappropriate parish buildings, annual evaluation and accountability at every level, and recruitment of more and younger aspirants for ordination.

The address of the Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf, Bishop of Rhode Island, followed. She began and closed by discussing mission: "Christian mission is not a question of moving in a linear direction; it is about making turns," she said. "The mission is proclamation, not survival. The mission is transformation, not security. The mission is action, not maintenance."

The convention heard an explanation of the diocese's new three-year budget cycle and adopted the first three-year budget, which was presented in three formats: line item, programmatic and narrative. The 2001 portion included apportionment income of $1.4 million, "diocesan income" (includes endowment and restricted income) of more than $1.5 million, for a total operating budget of $2,999,541.

(The Rev.) Peter Michaelson