LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

from the Canon to the Ordinary

September 23, 2005

Dear Clergy and Convention Delegates:

On behalf of the Bishop, we are sending this packet to you with regard to information that you will need for the upcoming Pre-Convention Deanery meetings and the 23rd Annual Convention. The Convention will be held at All Saints’ School, Fort Worth, Normandale Campus (just west of the Diocesan Center for Ministry.

This year’s Convention will begin with the Holy Eucharist at All Saints’ School Chapel on Friday, November 18th at 5:30 p.m. All Clergy are to vest and process in cassock, surplice and white stole. Since this is the opening session of Convention, all clergy and delegates should be in attendance.

The evening will continue at the Ridglea Country Club with hospitality (cash bar), dinner, and entertainment. Dinner reservations are required, and the cost is $25.00 per person.

Reservation instructions are included in this packet. Please pay strict attention to the deadlines. Also, there is information included for those needing overnight accommodations.

Registration for the Convention will take place on Saturday morning, November 19th, from 7:30 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. in the All Saints’ School Gymnasium. A continental breakfast will be served during registration. Morning Prayer will be at 8:30 a.m. in the School Chapel. The Convention will then convene at 9:00 a.m. The Bishop will deliver his Convention Address on Saturday morning. We will break for lunch around noon; the cost will be $10.00 per person. We are very pleased to have the continental breakfast and a Mexican lunch prepared by the people of San Juan Apostol, Fort Worth. After lunch, the Convention will continue until all business has been transacted.

Enclosed you will find information that is important as you prepare for the Convention. Please read through this packet thoroughly and plan on attending your Deanery meeting where the various nominees, budget and other items to be presented at the Convention will be discussed. Everything you receive in this packet will not be reproduced at Convention. Please bring this material with you to the Deanery meeting and the Convention.

We are also providing the proposed 2006 Diocesan Budget that has been recently formulated by the Executive Council. Attached to the budget is a brief narrative that is designed to anticipate any questions you may have and is provided for your assistance.

The Diocesan website offers information on all of the persons nominated for the offices that are open, with their biographies. For your convenience, we are including in this packet the list of those who have been nominated.

Once again, the Bishop is asking all Deans and Deanery Representatives to Executive Council to conduct their own Deanery meetings. The Deans have been provided an agenda for these important meetings. Nominations and elections for Executive Council Representation will be transacted at each Pre-Convention Deanery meeting. The Sub-Deans should also be chosen.

Once again, please note that registration for Convention will take place on Saturday morning only.

This year’s theme for Convention is "Building up the Body of Christ." The Bishop is looking forward to seeing each of you at the Eucharist on Friday afternoon as we begin this year’s Convention.

Finally, your attention to the material in this packet is vital as you represent the various parishes and missions of this Diocese.

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Canon Charles A. Hough, III
On behalf of the Bishop and
Convention Arrangements Committee

CAH/sfs

The material that you are receiving in Packet #1 and #2 will not be re-duplicated for you at the Convention so that we might save some trees. Please bring all the material that you have received including the information you may have printed from our website.

BISHOP'S POLICIES

Literature Distribution

The Bishop has requested that NO LITERATURE is to be handed out on the Convention floor or placed on the tables of the delegates without permission from the Chair.

No Smoking

The Bishop has requested that the Convention floor,
Vendor and Lunch areas remain smoke-free.