"Diocesean Convention" **Lion's Roar lead article for October 2025**

This month the Diocese gathers in Binghamton at Christ Church for the 157th Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of Central New York.  We will meet both in person and via Zoom.  Convention is one day this year, Saturday 18 October.  I confess, even as an extreme introvert, I enjoy Conventions.  There is something powerful about seeing all those Episcopalians in one place and worshipping together from across the Diocese (or across the Episcopal Church in the case of General Convention).

Every Convention also includes carrying out the work of Convention.  We hear ministry reports, adopt a budget, vote on resolutions (including clergy compensation), and elect new leadership to various bodies or committees that help the Diocese carry out its ministry.  Delegates will also be elected to the General Convention in 2027 in Phoenix, AZ.  Bishop DeDe will present an address to the Convention that typically includes highlights of the past year and visioning a direction for the coming year.

The featured guest speaker is The Very Reverend Doctor Ian S. Markham, Ph.D..  According to the Convention website for our Diocese, Markham “was appointed as Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in August 2007 and President of The General Theological Seminary (GTS) in November 2022.  He completed his Ph.D. at University of Exeter in the United Kingdom where he focused on Christian Ethics.  He previously earned an M.Litt. in Philosophy and Ethics from the University of Cambridge and a B.D. in Theology from the University of London.

Before being called to VTS, he served as Dean and Professor of Theology and Ethics at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut and Visiting Professor of Globalization, Ethics, and Islam at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.”

Delegates to Convention are selected by St. Mark’s Vestry.  St. Mark’s, based upon our current size, is permitted two lay delegates and two alternate delegates.  This year our delegates are Eric L. and Judi L.  Laura W. is our alternate delegate.  Regular delegates have seat, voice, and vote at Convention along with the clergy of their parish.

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