129th Annual Council
Welcome to Annual Council Week!

Every day this week an email will be sent from the Diocesan Office with both on-demand reports that you can watch/read at your convenience, and an invitation to join us for one of the evening's live virtual events on Zoom. Complete information about Council Week, and delegate materials, can be found at www.bit.ly/diosova129.
Today’s Reports

 
Tonight’s Live Event

  • Zoom and Digital Voting Practice Session, 7 p.m. Unlike the other events this week, this is open to registered clergy & lay delegates only – log in information will be sent to delegates by separate email.
Coming up during Council Week

The week’s live events begin at 7 p.m. each evening and are open to everyone. Most will be recorded for later viewing. Log-in details will be provided in each day's Council email and on our website the morning of each event.

Tuesday, February 23
  • Spotlight Focus on Formation, 7 p.m. Join us as we explore three free formation opportunities available for use in your community: Sacred Ground, Bible Project, and Embracing Evangelism. We will share insights learned, facilitation suggestions and highlight the flexibility afforded by these programs to be lay or clergy-led and delivered via Zoom or in-person. (This presentation will be recorded.)
  • 2020 Financial Report & 2021 Budget Presentation and Q&A, 7 p.m. (This presentation will be recorded.)

Wednesday, February 24
  • Chanco on the James: Your Camp and Retreat Ministry, 7 p.m. Join Chanco Director Gareth Kalfas to learn more about Chanco, take a look at their new facilities, hear how they weathered 2020 and get info on the 2021 Summer Camp schedule. There will also be time for Q&A. Join us! (This presentation will be recorded.)

Thursday, February 25
These events are for youth and college students only - contact Youth Missioner Megan Dern for information and registration, mdern@diosova.org.
  • EYC Hang Out: Council 101 and Compline, 5 p.m.
  • College Ministry Gathering: Council 101 and Compline, 7 p.m.
Friday, February 26
"Rooted in Love" - Keynote speaker Jerusalem Greer

Everyone is invited to join us via Zoom on Friday, February 26 at 7 p.m. for “Rooted in Love: Where Good News, Spiritual Practices and our Baptismal promises meet” -- How does our baptism inform our ministries and our lives? What does Good News sound like? What exactly is the purpose of formation? Join Jerusalem Greer, Staff Officer for Evangelism for Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, as she shares about the Way of Love, Episcopal Evangelism, Discipleship, and why our "why" matters most of all. Jerusalem Greer is the Staff Officer for Evangelism for The Episcopal Church in the Office of the Presiding Bishop. She is also a member of the Way of Love creation and leadership team and serves on Episcopal Relief & Development’s Council of Advice. (This presentation will be recorded.)
Council Business Meeting
Saturday, February 27

The business meeting of the Annual Council, convenes at 9:30 a.m. Log-in will open at 8:30 a.m. and delegates should plan to be logged into the digital voting system by 9 a.m. to assist in the determination of a quorum. Zoom log-in information and digital voting log-in will be sent to you by email. The Zoom meeting is limited to registered clergy and lay delegates. All others can watch the meeting live-stream on the diocesan YouTube channel.

Delegates: Get ready for digital voting

This year's virtual Council business meeting will use the digital voting services of Turning Technologies. This is a very user-friendly system - the same one successfully used at the Special Council to elect the Bishop in September 2019. Delegates will be able to access the voting system via an app or web browser. Log-in instructions for the voting system have been sent to to delegates via a separate email, along with the Zoom log-in information for tonight's Digital Voting Practice Session (at 7 p.m.) at which delegates will learn about the digital voting system and practice using it.
Delegate Materials

Delegate materials are available here. Prior to the convening of the Council business session on Saturday, Feb. 27, delegates should take the time to review ALL delegate materials. This includes important material that will be voted on during the meeting: Rules of Order, Bishop’s Nominations & Appointments, Order of Business, nominations for elections, and minutes of the 128th Annual Council.

Virtual Exhibit Hall

Visit the Virtual Exhibit Hall which features links to some of our favorite Annual Council vendors.