In June, the Rt. Rev. Robert M. Moody, Bishop of Oklahoma, will help sponsor a delegation of 10 high school students from his diocese on a four-week mission trip to the companion diocese of West Ankole in Uganda.

Bishop Moody made the announcement during his address to convention at the University of Tulsa campus on Nov. 11. More than 530 clergy, delegates, guests, spouses, exhibitors and vendors were in attendance, making the gathering one of the largest Tulsa conventions of any sort in history.

The mission trip to Uganda came about after consultations between Bishop Moody and diocesan youth during the past year.

"As some of you know I dragged my feet about going to Africa," Bishop Moody said. "It is a vast continent with immense challenges ... It takes some stamina, some determination and some financial resources to travel there ... What I did not know was that Africa, Uganda in particular, can cast a spell over a person. It is a beautiful country. The church is dynamic. The opportunities for being a part of something magnificent are immense."

After his return in 1997, Bishop Moody began looking for ways to share those opportunities with others in the diocese. This year, diocesan council approved a grant to help cover the cost of travel. Each young person will also be responsible for raising $1,200. The offering from the Saturday convention Eucharist was also applied toward the trip.

In other news, delegates passed the only resolution, which called on the diocesan missioner to "institute a program to guide and aid small missions in growth and commitment under the direction of the bishop."