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CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE IThe Church in the Diocese of Newark, as a constituent part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, accedes to the Constitution and Canons of that Church, and acknowledges their authority.
ARTICLE II2. SPECIAL CONVENTIONS
The Bishop, or if the Episcopate be vacant or the Bishop be incapacitated from acting, the Standing Committee shall have the power when it appears requisite for the good of the Church in this Diocese to call a Special Convention. No business shall be transacted at any such meeting other than that stated in the notice.
3. NOTICE OF CONVENTION
Written notice of every Convention shall be given by the Secretary of the Convention by mail at least four (4) weeks previous to the date of the Convention, stating the time and place. Such notice shall be given to all Clergy entitled to seat in the Convention, every Parish and Aided Parish in union with the Convention, and every Incorporated Mission and Mission. In the case of a Special Convention the notice shall specify the purpose for which the Convention is called.
4. MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION
The Convention shall be composed of:
(i) The Bishops:
(ii) Every Presbyter and Deacon canonically resident in the Diocese fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the meeting of the Convention, except that a vote shall not be accorded to retired priests whose service in the Diocese was fewer than five years prior to retirement; and
(iii) Three (3) Lay Deputies from each Parish and Aided Parish in union with the Convention and from each Incorporated Mission and Mission.
(iv) One (1) Youth Deputy and one (1) Alternate Youth Deputy elected by each District Convocation. Each shall be at least 14 years of age and under the age of 20, and none shall serve at more than two consecutive Diocesan Conventions.
5. EXCLUSION OF LAY DEPUTIES FROM VOTING IN CERTAIN CASES
Lay Deputies shall not be entitled to seat, voice or vote at any session of the Convention of this Diocese in any of the following circumstances:
(i) In case the Parish, Aided Parish, Incorporated Mission, or Mission sending such Deputies shall for the year immediately preceding have failed to report to the Bishop as required by Canon.
(ii) In case the Parish, Aided Parish, Incorporated Mission or Mission sending such Deputies, having been for the two (2) years immediately preceding without a Minister, and not having provided for regular services, shall have failed to notify the Bishop thereof, and to request that a Minister be assigned to it.
(iii) In case the Parish, Aided Parish, Incorporated Mission, or Mission sending such Deputies shall for one year immediately preceding willfully refuse to comply with any provision of this Constitution or the Canons after having been duly notified by the Ecclesiastical Authority of its failure to comply.
6. PRESIDENT OF CONVENTION
The President of the Convention shall be such one of the following as shall be present, and in the order named: the Bishop; the Bishop Coadjutor; the Suffragan Bishop; and the President of the Standing Committee.
7. QUORUM AND MANNER OF VOTING
Subject to the provisions of this Constitution pertaining to election of a Bishop, the Presbyters entitled to vote who may be present at the time of meeting, with the Deputies from ten (10) Parishes, Aided Parishes, Incorporated Missions, and Missions shall constitute a quorum.
On the demand of five (5) Presbyters entitled to vote, or of five (5) Lay Deputies each from a different Parish, Aided Parish, Incorporated Mission, or Mission, the vote upon any question shall be by orders, each Clerical and each Lay Deputy voting individually; and, when a vote is thus taken, a concurrent majority in both orders shall be necessary to carry any measure.
8. SECRETARY OF THE CONVENTION
At each annual Convention a Secretary shall be elected. The person elected shall be a communicant of the Diocese in good standing. The Secretary shall give notice of all Conventions as required by the Constitution, take Minutes of the proceedings, preserve the journals and records, attest the public acts of the Convention, and perform such other services as may from time to time be prescribed by the Canons or by the Convention. At the commencement of the term of office of a successor, the outgoing Secretary shall deliver to his/her successor all books and papers relating to the concerns of the Convention and to the office of Secretary.
The term of Secretary shall commence at the adjournment of the Convention at which the Secretary was elected and shall continue until the adjournment of the next Annual Convention.
9. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES
The Secretary shall appoint a sufficient number of Assistant Secretaries, not exceeding three, to assist in performing the duties of the office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, the senior Assistant Secretary in point of service shall be acting Secretary. If no one of the Assistant Secretaries is able or willing to act as Secretary, the Secretary of the Standing Committee shall act until a Secretary is elected.
10. SECRETARY TO PREPARE REPORT
The Secretary shall prepare, immediately after the adjournment of the Diocesan Convention next preceding the regular meeting of every General Convention, and forward forthwith to the Secretary of the House of Deputies of the General Convention, a report in the form and containing the information required by the Canons of the General Convention.
11. TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURER OF THE CONVENTION
At each Annual Convention a Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall be elected to serve until the next Annual Convention. Each shall give satisfactory security for the faithful performance of his/her duties. The Treasurer shall be entitled to a seat in the Convention and shall submit a statement of the accounts to each Annual Convention. The Assistant Treasurer shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Treasurer of the Convention.
In case the Treasurer should die, resign, move from the Diocese or otherwise be incapable of acting, the Assistant Treasurer shall on certification of the Ecclesiastical Authority, assume all of the duties and powers of the Treasurer, until such time as the Treasurer shall resume his/her duties or a successor be elected or appointed. The Ecclesiastical Authority may fill a vacancy in the office of Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer.
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1. At the Annual Convention in the calendar year next before the year in which the triennial General Convention is held, four (4) Clerical and four (4) Lay Deputies from the Diocese shall be elected. The voting shall be by ballot, the Clergy and Laity voting by orders, and a majority in both orders shall be necessary to constitute an election. Deputies so chosen shall hold office for three years. A corresponding number of supplementary Deputies in each order shall be elected in like manner, except that a majority of the total vote cast shall be necessary to constitute an election.
2. The Deputies-elect shall signify to the Bishop at least thirty (30) days before the meeting of General Convention their intention to perform their duties as such: in default of which the Bishop shall designate so many of the supplementary Deputies, in the order of their election, as may be necessary to insure a full representation of the Diocese. If such representation cannot be obtained from among the Deputies and supplementary Deputies, the Bishop shall appoint, with consent of the Standing Committee, sufficient individuals to achieve such representation. Supplementary Deputies so designated and other individuals so appointed shall have the same power and authority as Deputies elected by Convention. In case of a vacancy in the Episcopate, the power conferred in this section upon the Bishop, shall be exercised by the Standing Committee.
2. The voting shall be by ballot, the Clergy and Laity voting by orders and a concurrent majority of both orders shall be necessary to constitute an election. A quorum for the election of a Bishop shall be at least a majority of the Presbyters entitled to vote and Lay Deputies from a majority of Parishes, Aided Parishes, Incorporated Missions and Missions.
(ii) Authenticated copies of the proceedings of its organization;
(iii) A copy of its Certificate of Incorporation; and
(iv) An authenticated copy of a resolution of its incorporators, Wardens, and Vestry promising conformity and obedience to the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America and to the Constitution and Canons of that Church and of this Diocese.
The proposed amendment or amendments having been submitted to the Convention and approved by a majority of the members voting by orders shall lie over until the next Convention; and then if approved by a majority of the members voting by orders shall thereupon stand adopted. The second Convention at which such amendment or amendments are voted shall not be held less than four (4) months later than the prior Convention.
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